SynthesisThe American journal of clinical nutrition2025
Effect of early-life protein supplementation on childhood obesity and related metabolic outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Public health interventions for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents: a rapid review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundProtein intake during complementary feeding plays a vital role in childhood growth. However, the effects of varying protein quantity and source on obesity and related metabolic outcomes remain uncertain.
objectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of protein intake (quantity and source) on childhood obesity [weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ) > 2], body composition [fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM)], and metabolic markers (insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1) in children aged 6-23 mo, including outcomes beyond 24 mo where available.
methodsA systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL (January 2000-May 2024) for randomized controlled trials that compared high with low protein intake (diets with higher protein defined as an absolute difference of ≥5 g/d between groups), animal compared with plant-based protein, and meat compared with dairy. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, and heterogeneity was assessed using I
resultsOf 5817 records identified, 20 publications (from 19 trials) met the inclusion criteria, with 12 included in the meta-analysis. Diets with higher protein content did not substantially affect WLZ. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was 0.0 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.09) for low- and middle-income countries and 0.17 (95% CI: -0.12, 0.47) for high-income countries. No effects were found for FFM [SMD: -0.05 (95% CI: -0.31, 0.21)] or FM [SMD: 0.17 (95% CI: -0.41, 0.74)]. We were not able to identify any effects of protein source of any of the outcomes. Insufficient data precluded meta-analysis for metabolic markers.
conclusionsThere is limited evidence of any impact of protein quantity or quality during complementary feeding on growth or body composition. Given the short-lasting exposures and follow-up times, the long-term metabolic effects of protein supplementation require further investigation. This trial was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42024550409.
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