1. Introduction

It has been documented that growth patterns of breast-fed infants differ from those of formula-fed infants, upon whom most reference data are based (WHITEHEAD and PAUL, 1981). The slower growth velocity of breast-fed infants after the first 2-3 months has been called 'growth faltering' by some, but it might just as easily be claimed that the growth pattern of formula-fed infants represents 'excessive' growth. The problem is not just a semantic issue, however, as evaluation of the health status of individual infants as well as groups of children requires an appropriate standard. Historically, we have relied on growth measures as a reflection of nutritional adequacy, but most would agree that bigger is not necessarily better. What is needed, therefore, are alternative indices of functional outcomes to judge whether a particular pattern of growth is optimal in a given environment.

The major objective of the DARLING study was to assess growth and nutrient intake of breast-fed and formula-fed infants during the first 18 months of life, and to include several functional indices, such as morbidity and activity levels, which are then examined in relation to intake and growth patterns. This paper presents an overview of the results pertaining to the breast-fed cohort during the first 15 months. A more detailed description of methods and results will be published elsewhere.