Peer-reviewed article

Infant Dietary Patterns and Early Childhood Weight Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis from the Starting Early Program Trial.

Berube LT, Kim CN, Deierlein AL, Woolf K, Messito MJ et al. · 1 Jul 2026

Abstract

Background The Starting Early Program (StEP) promotes healthy nutrition during early life and leads to healthier child weight, but whether dietary patterns contribute to weight or mediate StEP weight outcomes has not been studied. Objectives This secondary analysis identified infant dietary patterns in StEP, determined associations between dietary patterns and child weight outcomes, and examined whether dietary patterns mediated the relationship between StEP and child weight. Methods Data were from 377 mother-infant dyads in a randomized trial testing the efficacy of StEP. Dietary patterns at 10 months were identified using latent class analysis. Child weights were abstracted from medical records at 12, 24, and 36 months. Associations between infant dietary patterns and weight-for-age z-score (WFAz) and likelihood of being classified as overweight (WFA ≥85th percentile) were assessed using linear and logistic multivariable regression models. Mediation was used to assess intervention effects on WFAz via impacts on infant dietary patterns. Results Four classes of infant dietary patterns were identified: Breastfed-High variety, Formula fed-High variety, Formula fed-Low variety, and Mixed fed-Low variety. Compared to the Breastfed-High variety class, infants in the Formula fed-Low variety class had higher WFAz and were more likely to be classified as overweight at 24 and 36 months. Participation in StEP increased membership in Breastfed-High variety, which mediated the association between StEP and lower WFAz at 24 months. Conclusions Infant dietary patterns were identified, and some were associated with child overweight. StEP was associated with a dietary pattern most consistent with guidelines, which mediated intervention effects on child weight.