Fat babies are not healthy, says new report on preventing obesity

Obesity often begins in the cot and so too should measures to tackle it, says a new report from the US Institute of Medicine that focuses on the period from birth to 5 years of age.

“Contrary to the common perception that chubby babies are healthy babies and will naturally outgrow their baby fat, excess weight tends to persist,” said Leann Birch, the Pennsylvania State University professor who chaired the report’s committee.

The report says that a fifth of American children aged 2 to 5 years are overweight or obese, double the proportion 30 years ago.

“Precisely because this early …