Randomised trial of a ready-to-feed compared with powdered formula.

Forty three infants were assigned randomly to a ready-to-feed infant formula or a standard formula that required reconstitution from powder. Despite similar nutrient composition of the two formulas those fed the powdered formula had significantly increased body weight and skinfold thickness gains, and became significantly heavier than a further group of 20 breast fed infants by 3 and 6 months. Of those fed the powdered formula 6/19 had become overweight (above the 90th or 97th centile) by 6 months, whereas 1/19 fed the ready-to-feed product was overweight at this age. While differences in fat absorption might have been contributory, our data suggest that errors in reconstitution of formula from powder might be the main cause for the growth differences observed. If it is appropriate to take the breast fed infant as a model, infants fed ready-to-feed formula in this study showed a more physiological pattern of growth than those fed a standard formula reconstituted from powder. These results require replication using other formulas as the findings have potentially important implications for infant feeding

A utilização de uma curva ponderal de gestantes normais no diagnóstico de desnutrição intra-uterina On the use of a normal pregnant women's weight curve in the diagnosis of intra-uterine malnutrition

Com a finalidade de estudar a influência do estado nutricional materno sobre o peso do recém-nascido, foram aplicadas as "Curvas de Gestantes Normais" em 1.347 gestantes normais. A utilização destas curvas permitiu identificar o estado nutricional materno, dividindo as gestantes em estudo em três grupos, sendo: 243 gestantes magras ou subnutridas, 894. normais e 210 obesas. Foram comparados os pesos dos recém-nascidos de cada grupo de gestantes e verificou-se que a incidência de prematuridade foi duas vezes maior entre os recém-nascidos de mulheres magras, sendo a incidência de pós-termo o dobro nas gestantes obesas. Verificou-se ainda que os pequenos para idade gestacional tem uma maior incidência nas gestantes magras e também nas normais, cujos ganhos de pesos se apresentem abaixo da média da "Curva Ponderal de Gestantes Normais".<br>With the purpose of studying the influence of the maternal nutritional condition on the newborn's weight, the authors applied the ''Normal pregnant women's weight curves" to 1,347 patients. The use of these curves allowed identification of the maternal nutritional condition. These pregnant women were divided into three groups: 234 undernourished, 894 normal and 210 obese women. The newborns' weight at birth were compared in each group of pregnant women and the results showed that, the incidence of pregmaturity was twice as large in the undernourished pregnant women's newborns, as was also the incidence of post-term in obese pregnant women. The greatest incidence of children small for their gestational age was among undernourished pregnant women and in normal pregnant women whose weight gain was under the average values of the "Normal pregnant women's weight curves"