MOTHERS may have been overfeeding babies for the past 30 years by following misleading growth and weight charts that made them fear their children were too skinny.
The World Health Organisation released new weight guidelines for children yesterday, claiming that previous charts, used in Australia and most developed countries, were based on formula-fed babies, who weigh more than breastfed babies.
"Breastfed babies have different metabolic rates and different sleeping patterns," said Mercedes de Onis, who co-ordinates WHO child growth standards.
"Formula-fed babies seem to have higher intakes of energy and, as a result, are heavier."
The original charts, based on the average weight of babies fed formula only, were released in 1977. They were revised in 2000 to include babies fed a combination of formula and breast milk.
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