An infant born weighing 8 pounds would optimally weigh approximately how much at 1 year?

• A. 16 pounds.
• B. 20 pounds.
• C. 24 pounds.
• D. 28 pounds.

Answer: (C)

Infant weight gain in the first year typically follows a pattern where birth weight doubles by about 4–6 months and triples by 12 months. Starting from 8 pounds, tripling gives 8 × 3 = 24 pounds, which is the standard expected weight at one year. While individual variation exists, 24 pounds is the closest approximate target for a 1-year-old. Doubling would be around 16 pounds (earlier in infancy), while 20 or 28 pounds would be somewhat outside the common range for a healthy one-year mark.