A meat- or dairy-based complementary diet leads to distinct growth patterns in formula-fed infants: a randomized controlled trial

The higher protein contents of cow’s milk based milk formulas (2.2 g/100 kcal) compared to breast milk (1.5 g/100 kcal) have been thought to underlie their faster growth, weight gain and childhood obesity promoting effects. Consequently, there is increasing interest in the benefits of low protein cow’s milk based formulas (1.6-1.8 g/100 kcal) to reduce rapid infant weight gain and obesity. However, it is unclear whether the same issues relate to protein sources from infant complementary (solid or semi-solid) foods.