USE OF GROWTH-MODELS TO DESCRIBE PATTERNS OF LENGTH, WEIGHT, AND HEADCIRCUMFERENCE AMONG BREAST-FED AND FORMULA-FED INFANTS - THE DARLING STUDY

Nine mathematical models were applied to 24-month length, weight, and head circumference growth curves of 39 breast-fed and 31 formula-fed i nfants from the DARLING study. For both breast-fed and formula-fed inf ants, the Karlberg infancy-childhood-puberty (ICP) model best describe s the relationship between recumbent length and age and the Jenss mode l best describes the relationship between head circumference and age. For formula-fed infants several models appropriately describe the rela tionship between weight and age, and we recommend the Jenss model. How ever, none of the models suitably describes the shape of the weight cu rve for breast-fed infants.