“That’s exactly how (adults) get overweight,” he said. “They eat a little bit more than they should every day.”

The study shows that talking to parents about when to add solid foods to a baby’s diet is something that pediatricians should be doing on a regular basis, McCormick said. Giving solid foods too early, whether together with formula or separately, “is going to set your child up for obesity.”

And, he said, “We know from other (studies) that if you’re overweight or obese at 3, you’re very likely to stay overweight.”

SOURCE: Pediatrics, online February 7, 2011.