Does a chubby baby make a fat adult?

March 30, 1:21 PMWeight Loss ExaminerGail Gedan Spencer

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Babies who pack on the pounds during their first 6 months of life are at greater risk of obesity by the tender age of 3, Harvard researchers report.

Back in Grandma's day, a Macy's balloon-style baby was a sign of health and vitality. Over the years, pediatricians have warned parents to monitor their baby's weight and make sure they stayed within a healthy percentile.

Researchers tracked 559 children who were part of Project Viva, a Boston-based study of pregnant women and their children. The babies were measured for weight and height at birth, at 6 months and again at the age of 3. The study found that those who increased their body-mass index during their first six months were more likely to be classified as obese at age 3. That doesn't mean that every baby who gains weight is at risk. It only means that babies who might start out in the 50th percentile in weight and then zoom up to 75th or so could have a problem in the future.

Dr. Elsie Taveras, one of the Harvard researchers, was quick to point out that parents should not put their chunky babies on diets. Babies, unlike their mommies, have the advantage of growing in height, so any excess weight will even itself out over time. (Some of us are still working off the baby weight and our babies are ... cough, cough ... 10 years old).

Taveras said the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, did not look at why some infants gained weight suddenly. Possibilities include prenatal factors or too-frequent feeding.