Consistency in infants' behavioural signalling of satiation during bottle-feeding

Abstract

Background: Understanding the dynamics of feeding is essential for preventing accelerated weight gain during infancy, a risk factor for obesity.

Objectives: Because infants satiate on larger volumes of cow milk formula (CMF) than CMF enriched with the free amino acid glutamate (CMF + glu), we used this model system to determine whether infants displayed consistent behaviours despite satiating on lower volumes.

Methods: In this laboratory-based, within-subject experimental study of ≤4-month-old infants (n = 41) and their mothers, infants were videotaped while feeding to satiation CMF on one test day and CMF + glu on the other, in counterbalanced order. Each video-recording was analysed frame-by-frame for frequency and timing of behaviours.

Results: Infants' behaviours were consistent in types and frequency but were displayed sooner when feeding CMF + glu compared with CMF. The less responsive the mother's feeding style, the less consistent the infant displayed behaviours across the two formula meals (P = 0.05). Infants who spat up (a possible sign of overfeeding) consumed more formula (P = 0.01) and had less responsive mothers (P = 0.04) compared with the other infants.

Conclusions: Infants are consistent in their behavioural displays during feeding at this developmental age. Regulation of intake and signalling of satiation during bottle-feeding are associated with formula composition and maternal feeding style.

Keywords: Formula feeding; free glutamate; infant feeding; satiation signalling.

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

© 2014 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2014 World Obesity.

Figures

Figure 1. Patterning of the last three behaviors displayed by each individual infant

Each row represents an individual infant; subject IDs were randomly assigned. The left and right columns display the third to last (3rd), second to last (2nd), and last behaviors during the CMF and CMF+glu meal, respectively. A white cell indicates a behavior that an infant displayed on one day only. A pink cell indicates a behavior that an infant displayed on both days. A maroon cell indicates a behavior that an infant displayed in the same sequence (e.g., as the first behavior) on both days.