Research on the links between infant well-being and growth

A new research project will investigate the long-term associations between infant psychological stress and rapid growth during the first year of life. The project will use data from approximately 150,000 infants, including data on social withdrawal, weight development, breastfeeding, and parental postpartum depression. The aim is to contribute to a better understanding of how early psychosocial stress affects growth and health risks later in life.

Background of the study

Infants who grow earlier and faster than others often have an increased risk of developing severe overweight. This project will attempt to identify the factors most significant for early rapid growth, including examining any associations between early psychological stress and growth. Previous research has shown that stress in early childhood can lead to severe overweight later in life.

The project will use data from public health nurses' infant assessments, which score early signs of stress using the so-called Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB). These data are collected in The Danish ADBB Infant Cohort (DAIC), allowing the project to draw on studies of approximately 150,000 infants.

Project title: The Danish ADBB Infant Cohort (DAIC): Examining longitudinal associations between infant distress and early rapid growth during the first year of life