Gain in weight and length during early infancy

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 223 - 239
• Main Authors: Nelson, Steven E., Rogers, Ronald R., Ziegler, Ekhard E., Fomon, Samuel J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.07.1989; New York,NY Elsevier; Amsterdam
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height; Breast Feeding; Delivery. Postpartum. Lactation; early infancy; Female; gain in length; gain in weight; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Maternal, fetal and perinatal monitoring; Medical sciences; Reference Values; Sex Characteristics; Statistics as Topic; Weight Gain; gain in length; early infancy; gain in weight; Human; Newborn; Exploration; Infant; Corporal biometry; Somatic growth; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-3782(89)90057-1

Although rate of growth is generally recognized as a valuable indicator of health status, few reference data are available for gain in weight or length during the period of most rapid growth in infancy. We have therefore summarized our data concerning gains in length and weight of 203 breast-fed males, 216 breast-fed females, 380 formula-fed males, and 340 formula-fed females. Seven sets of measurements (at ages 8, 14, 28, 42, 56, 84 and 112 days) were made with each infant. The 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th centile values together with the means and standard deviations are presented for selected age intervals on a feeding-specific (i.e. breastfed or formula-fed) and sex-specific basis. We believe that these data will be useful as a reference for interpreting results of infant studies.