Body Composition Trajectories From Infancy to Preschool in Children Born Premature Versus Full-Term
The Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition hosts a study analyzing the body composition trajectories from birth to preschool age.
The aim of the study was to longitudinally characterize infancy to preschool body composition trajectories and the association of early fat and fat-free mass gains with preschool age body composition in children born premature versus full-term.
A cohort of appropriate-for-gestational age preterm (n = 20) and term (n = 51) infants were followed at 3 visits: "neonatal" visit 1 at 2 weeks of age for term and near term corrected age for preterm; "infancy" visit 2 at 3 to 4 months (preterm corrected age); "preschool" visit 3 at 4 years. Body composition via air displacement plethysmography and anthropometrics were measured at all visits.
The most relevant findings of the study is that "children born prematurely and full-term have similar body composition at preschool age. For preterms infancy fat-free mass gains, and not adiposity gains, are positively associated with preschool fat-free mass; this may be associated with lower risk of later obesity and adverse metabolic outcomes".
The article details are the following:
- Title: "Body Composition Trajectories From Infancy to Preschool in Children Born Premature Versus Full-Term"
- Authors: Scheurer JM, Zhang L, Gray HL, Weir K, Demerath EW, Ramel SE
- Published in: J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2016 Dec 30
The scientific article can be purchased at the following link: click here
