Early introduction of solid foods

Feeding practices in early childhood are known to have great impact at the evolution of weight in the rest of life. Early introduction of solid food is linked to a faster weight gain in infancy and therefor possibly with an increased overweight risk later on in life. Griffiths et al found a small, but on the scale of public health very significant difference in the growth of children with early or later introduction of solids. They conclude that mothers should explicitly be advised to hold on to the international standard to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. Sloan c.s. related faster growth in children when they were weaned from the breast earlier. They linked this to a possible problem with overweight in preschoolers. Kim & Peterson detected a interesting link between place and method of child care, breastfeeding initiation and growth. Children who were for at home by their own parents tended to be more breastfed and introduced to solids alter then children taken care of in professional child care settings or by relatives or friends.
Kim J; Peterson KE: Association of Infant Child Care With Infant Feeding Practices and Weight Gain Among US Infants. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(7):627-633.
L J Griffiths LJ, L Smeeth L, S Sherburne Hawkins S, T J Cole TJ, C Dezateux C: Effects of infant feeding practice on weight gain from birth to 3 years.Arch Dis Child 2009;94:577-582.
Sloan S, Gildea A, Stewart M, Sneddon H, Iwaniec D: Early weaning is related to weight and rate of weight gain in infancy. Child: Care, Health and Development, 2008, 34(1):59-64.