Growth of Japanese breastfed infants compared to national references and World Health Organization growth standards

Abstract

There were significant differences identified between the growth of breastfed infants and existing national references and WHO standards.

Trend of head circumference as a predictor of microcephaly among term infants born at a regional center in Malaysia between 2011-2015

“…[11][12][13] Results from these studies showed that our newborns have smaller birth parameters compared to the WHO standard. For example, Japanese breastfed infants are significantly shorter and lighter throughout almost the first 24 months 12 compared to the WHO growth standard, and infants in Hong Kong are shorter at 36 months.…”

“…Moreover, studies from the East Asian countries have demonstrated a trend of smaller head circumference and birth weight. 12,13 Similarly, a Malaysian study in 1994 revealed that Malaysian infants were smaller than the standard reference. 8 The predictors of head circumference of infants have been widely studied.…”

Worldwide variation in human growth and the World Health Organization growth standards: a systematic review

“…We excluded older studies (before 1988) comparing breastfed and formula-fed infants due to changes in formula content with time. A Japanese breastfed cohort was at least 0.5 SD below the MGRS mean at every age measured; means for formula-fed children were either within 0.25 SD of the MGRS mean or not below 0.5 SD 56. No pattern was found when comparing Greek breastfed infants with the national standards and MGRS data 57 80…”

“…This review uses studies from the following countries/ethnic groups: Argentina,44 Australia (indigenous and non-indigenous),28 49 75 Belgium,59 Brazil,41 Canada (indigenous and non-indigenous),10 48 77 China,65 71 Czech Republic,73 Denmark,16 52 66 Egypt,19 Euro-12,62 Finland,37 64 France,29 78 Germany13 50 79 Greece,57 80 Hong Kong,30 Iceland,53 81 India (birth and postnatal20 33 38 82 83), Iran,55 Ireland,84 Israel,34 Italy,31 85 Japan,14 39 56 Kuwait,43 Lebanon,36 Libya,86 Malaysia,35 Mexico,45 Moroccans (in the Netherlands and Spain),22 87 Nepal,63 the Netherlands (including Moroccans and Turks),18 87–90 New Zealand (indigenous and non-indigenous),58 91–93 Nigeria (birth26), Norway,12 51 67 Poland,94 95 Portugal,46 Russia,72 Saudi Arabia,25 Scotland,47 Singapore,40 69 South Korea,70 74 Spain (birth; Caucasians, Moroccans, South Americans and sub-Saharan Africans born in Spain),22 Spain (postnatal),96 Sweden,60 Switzerland,23 Taiwan,42 Turkey,21 90 United Arab Emirates,24 the UK54 and the USA,32 97 plus the MGRS 1 3. The participants in these studies totall...…”

“…Although breastfed cohorts may be smaller than formula-fed cohorts,52 56 in most studies we analysed, the lengths of breastfed infants and children were closer to local references than to the WHO standards12 16 56 102 103 or, in pre-MGRS studies, the mean lengths of breast- and formula-fed infants were not significantly different 104 105. We excluded older studies (before 1988) comparing breastfed and formula-fed infants due to changes in formula content with time.…”