Formula Intake of 1− and 4-Month-Old Infants

Abstract

This study was designed to estimate energy intake in exclusively formula-fed infants. Formula intake of twenty-four 1- and 4-month-old infants was studied for 5 consecutive days; six boys and six girls were in each age group. Intake was estimated by laboratory determined weights of formula consumed, spilled, and regurgitated. Two additional methods were used to estimate intake in the first nine infants during the 1st day of observation: test-weighing the infant at each feeding and mother''s weighing of formula consumed, regurgitated, and spilled at each feeding. No consistent differences were detected among methods, but test-weighing appeared to have the greatest feed-to-feed variability. Intake was estimated to be 747 .+-. 100 g or 125.5 .+-. 17 kcal/kg, and 958 .+-. 131 g or 94.0 .+-. 13 kcal/kg and 1- and 4- month-old infants, respectively. The day-to-day variability (expressed as the coefficient of variation) was 13 and 15% (CV, g/kg) for 1- and 4-month-old infants respectively. Between-infant variability of intake was .apprx. 8% (CV, g/kg) for both age groups. Energy intakes of 1-month-old formula-fed infants were similar to published values of breast-fed infants of similar age, but the energy intakes of 4-month-old formula-fed infants were significantly higher than values published for 4-month-old breast-fed infants.