New Study Links Baby's Bottle Size To Weight Gain

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Can the size of a baby's bottle have an impact on their weight gain in the first few months of life?

Believe it or not there was a significant study on this subject and it was just released in the Journal Pediatrics.

What the researchers found is that when evaluated at age 2 months and again at 6 months, infants fed from a large bottle –that is six ounces or more—gained more weight. The study is part of what is called 'The Greenlight Intervention' study designed to test an obesity prevention intervention at critical times during a person's life.

It is no surprise that if you feed a baby more formula they will gain weight but it is now documented by a study.

Perhaps more important is that it may start a trend of increased weight and overfeeding throughout life—and that is the information to take away from this report.