Babies' Early Weight Gain Linked to Obesity

Babies who gain weight very rapidly during their first four months may be prone to obesity, research suggests.

Regardless of weight at birth and age 1, such infants were significantly more likely to be overweight at age 7 than babies who gained weight more slowly in the first four months.

The study involving 19,397 children supports the idea that obesity is hereditary. But it also suggests that prevention efforts targeting early infancy, such as breast-feeding, might help counteract genetics, said Dr. Nicolas Stettler of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.