Clipping Board » Medical Affairs and Administration ─ Medical system, pharmaceuticals, and medical community-related reports
2008.11.01 China Times
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report
Starting Off Fat ▲ The World Health Organization has updated the "Infant Standard Weight Chart," but a doctor pointed out yesterday that the weight standards provided by the Department of Health to mothers are based on erroneous research data. (Photo from this newspaper's archives)
The "Infant Standard Weight Chart" currently used domestically is incorrect! Doctors point out that the reference standards provided by the Department of Health to mothers are fundamentally wrong, leading most infants to absorb excessive nutrients. This not only makes them prone to becoming overweight but also increases their future risk of diabetes and heart disease. While the World Health Organization has revised its standards, Taiwan has not followed suit.
Dr. Zhou Yihong, director of the Neonatal Medical Association of the Republic of China and vice president of Min-Sheng General Hospital, noted that the World Health Organization has updated the "Infant Standard Weight Chart" in recent years. Over the past forty years, the standards provided to mothers by doctors were based on flawed research data, which relied on infants fed formula milk. Infants fed formula milk typically weigh significantly more than those breastfed normally.
Raising Overweight Babies Increases Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease
Dr. Zhou Yihong stated that according to data from the UK Child Growth Foundation, the average weight of breastfed infants in the UK at one year old is 22 pounds, while those exclusively fed formula milk weigh an average of 23 pounds. A UK government survey found that 25% of British secondary school students are overweight, double the figure from a decade ago.
Using the old "Infant Standard Weight Chart," breastfed infants often appear underweight, leading mothers to mistakenly provide unnecessary additional nutrition. Dr. Zhou Yihong pointed out that medical experts involved in developing the WHO's new standards believe that the old, flawed standards have led to incorrect feeding practices, which are one of the root causes of childhood obesity worldwide.
Data from Formula-Fed Infants Leads to Overweight Issues
Dr. Zhou Yihong explained that breastfed infants grow more slowly because they can actively regulate the nutrients their bodies need, and their sleep patterns differ from those of formula-fed infants. Formula-fed infants often absorb excessive unnecessary nutrients, resulting in obesity.
Dr. Zhou Yihong noted that the World Health Organization released a new "Infant Standard Weight Chart" in 2003, based on data from 8,000 exclusively breastfed infants across six countries. This chart is suitable for setting standard weights for breastfed infants.
WHO's New Standards Are Suitable for Breastfed Infants
According to the new standards, a one-year-old girl should weigh 9 kilograms, and a boy 9.6 kilograms; a five-year-old girl should weigh 18.2 kilograms, and a boy 18.3 kilograms. However, the current domestic standards recommend 9.5 kilograms for a one-year-old girl and 10 kilograms for a boy; 18.5 kilograms for a five-year-old girl and 19 kilograms for a boy. These figures are at least 0.5 to 1 kilogram heavier than the new standards, potentially setting children up to be "overweight from the start."
Dr. Zhou Yihong emphasized that parents should not be overly concerned if their child's weight is slightly below the current standards, as Taiwan is still using outdated standards that may lead to children being overweight.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ C……1801+112008110100122,00. html
Taiwan Misuses Infant Weight Chart for 40 Years
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report
Starting Off Fat ▲ The World Health Organization has updated the "Infant Standard Weight Chart," but a doctor pointed out yesterday that the weight standards provided by the Department of Health to mothers are based on erroneous research data. (Photo from this newspaper's archives)
The "Infant Standard Weight Chart" currently used domestically is incorrect! Doctors point out that the reference standards provided by the Department of Health to mothers are fundamentally wrong, leading most infants to absorb excessive nutrients. This not only makes them prone to becoming overweight but also increases their future risk of diabetes and heart disease. While the World Health Organization has revised its standards, Taiwan has not followed suit.
Dr. Zhou Yihong, director of the Neonatal Medical Association of the Republic of China and vice president of Min-Sheng General Hospital, noted that the World Health Organization has updated the "Infant Standard Weight Chart" in recent years. Over the past forty years, the standards provided to mothers by doctors were based on flawed research data, which relied on infants fed formula milk. Infants fed formula milk typically weigh significantly more than those breastfed normally.
Raising Overweight Babies Increases Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease
Dr. Zhou Yihong stated that according to data from the UK Child Growth Foundation, the average weight of breastfed infants in the UK at one year old is 22 pounds, while those exclusively fed formula milk weigh an average of 23 pounds. A UK government survey found that 25% of British secondary school students are overweight, double the figure from a decade ago.
Using the old "Infant Standard Weight Chart," breastfed infants often appear underweight, leading mothers to mistakenly provide unnecessary additional nutrition. Dr. Zhou Yihong pointed out that medical experts involved in developing the WHO's new standards believe that the old, flawed standards have led to incorrect feeding practices, which are one of the root causes of childhood obesity worldwide.
Data from Formula-Fed Infants Leads to Overweight Issues
Dr. Zhou Yihong explained that breastfed infants grow more slowly because they can actively regulate the nutrients their bodies need, and their sleep patterns differ from those of formula-fed infants. Formula-fed infants often absorb excessive unnecessary nutrients, resulting in obesity.
Dr. Zhou Yihong noted that the World Health Organization released a new "Infant Standard Weight Chart" in 2003, based on data from 8,000 exclusively breastfed infants across six countries. This chart is suitable for setting standard weights for breastfed infants.
WHO's New Standards Are Suitable for Breastfed Infants
According to the new standards, a one-year-old girl should weigh 9 kilograms, and a boy 9.6 kilograms; a five-year-old girl should weigh 18.2 kilograms, and a boy 18.3 kilograms. However, the current domestic standards recommend 9.5 kilograms for a one-year-old girl and 10 kilograms for a boy; 18.5 kilograms for a five-year-old girl and 19 kilograms for a boy. These figures are at least 0.5 to 1 kilogram heavier than the new standards, potentially setting children up to be "overweight from the start."
Dr. Zhou Yihong emphasized that parents should not be overly concerned if their child's weight is slightly below the current standards, as Taiwan is still using outdated standards that may lead to children being overweight.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ C……1801+112008110100122,00. html