Effects of dietary intake patterns from 1 to 4 years on BMI z-score and body shape at age of 6 years: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil.

There were inconsistent associations between dietary patterns in infancy and early childhood and BMI and body shape at 6 years. In adjusted analyses, higher adherence to breast milk at 1 year and to snacks at 4 years appeared to be beneficial for body shape, associated with lower BMI, but higher peripheral fat.