Replacing protein with carbohydrate or fat in infancy is associated with lower Body Mass Index in early childhood: results from the Melbourne InFANT Program
Authors' conclusion
Substituting protein with carbohydrate or fat intake in infancy was inversely associated with BMI z-score in early childhood.
Study context
- Population
- Children of the Melbourne InFANT program (15-month infancy obesity prevention intervention) with 9-month and 5-year follow-upscompleted 9-mo and 5-y follow-ups
- Participants
- 345 children
- Comparison
- Substitution of protein with carbohydrate or fat, and of protein subtypes, at 9 months
- Primary endpoint
- Change in BMI z-score and overweight status
- Follow-up
- 5 years of age
Methodological detailssubstitution modelling, multivariable linear and logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounders
- Substitution modelling
- Multivariable linear and logistic regression
- Adjusted for potential confounders
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
BMI z-score at 5 years
Substituting 5%E protein with carbohydrate: change in body mass index (BMI) z-score
−0.16
95% CI −0.30, −0.02
Substituting 100 kJ protein with carbohydrate: change in BMI z-score
−0.11
95% CI −0.19, −0.03
Substituting 5%E protein with fat: change in BMI z-score
−0.16
95% CI −0.29, −0.02
Substituting 100 kJ protein with fat: change in BMI z-score
−0.11
95% CI −0.19, −0.03
Further findings
Overweight status at 5 years
- No evidence of association between substitution of protein with fat or carbohydrate and overweight status (P > 0.05)
Protein subtype substitution · 5 years
- Replacing animal protein with plant or dairy protein not significantly associated with BMI z-score or overweight status
Original publication
Replacing protein with carbohydrate or fat in infancy is associated with lower Body Mass Index in early childhood: results from the Melbourne InFANT Program. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 7 May 2026. doi:10.
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