Abstract

There is now convincing evidence that early life factors exert long-lasting influence on health. Birth weight and growth seem to be highly sensitive to nutritional factors during pregnancy and in early life. The nutrient balance of the diet in the first years of life is likely to have important impact on growth and later health. Mother’s milk contains a high proportion of fat (52%) and low proportion of protein (6%). After weaning, the infant diet in industrialized countries is in sharp contrast with the composition of human milk. The fat content suddenly drops and the protein content increases, reaching 3 to 4 times the protein needs. The beneficial effect of human milk could be attributable to its nutrient composition. Indeed, several studies have shown that the high protein content of the diet could have detrimental effects on growth. High protein intake is associated with an early adiposity rebound which predicts later health risks. However, the mechanisms and the cause-effect relationships remain to be elucidated. Low energy dense diet can affect leptin and ghrelin concentrations in early life and program later resistance. Besides, excessive protein intake might accelerate growth by increasing insulin-like growth factor. Optimal growth is desirable, as stunting and rapid growth as well are risk factors for various diseases. These observations stress the importance of providing nutritional intakes adapted to nutritional needs at various stages of growth.