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Anaerobic performance in 5- to 7-yr-old children of low birthweight
H Keller1, O Bar-Or, S Kriemler
1Children's Exercise and Nutrition Centre and Children's Hospital at Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, ON, Canada.
Insights
Extremely low birthweight (ELBW) children show deficient anaerobic muscle performance compared to normal birthweight peers. This may stem from smaller muscle mass or intrinsic muscle properties.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Neonatal Research
- Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Extremely low birthweight (ELBW) and very low birthweight (VLBW) survivors face potential long-term health challenges.
- Assessing functional outcomes like muscle performance is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate anaerobic muscle performance in children born ELBW (500-999g) and VLBW (1000-1499g).
- To compare performance with normal birthweight (NBW) controls.
Main Methods:
- Wingate anaerobic test used to measure peak (PP) and mean (MP) muscle power.
- Bioimpedance analysis and anthropometry assessed fat-free mass (FFM) and lean muscle area.
- 14 ELBW, 20 VLBW, and 24 NBW children participated.
Main Results:
- ELBW children exhibited significantly lower MP and PP than VLBW and NBW groups.
- Deficits persisted when corrected for total body mass and FFM.
- Performance was not significantly different when corrected for thigh and calf muscle cross-sectional area.
Conclusions:
- ELBW children demonstrate reduced anaerobic muscle power.
- Smaller muscle mass contributes, but intrinsic factors like muscle fiber type, phosphagen content, or motor control may also play a role.
Purpose:
This study was intended to determine whether anaerobic muscle performance is deficient in 5- to 7-yr-old children of extremely low birthweight (ELBW, 500-999 g) and very low birthweight (VLBW, 1000-1499 g).
Methods:
Fourteen ELBW and 20 VLBW children were compared with 24 normal birthweight (NBW, >2500 g) term controls. Peak (PP) and mean (MP) muscle power were determined by the Wingate anaerobic test. Bioimpedance analysis and anthropometry were done to assess fat-free mass (FFM) and lean cross-sectional area of the thigh and calf.
Results:
The ELBW group had significantly lower MP and PP, compared with the VLBW and, in particular, with the NBW group. This lower performance was apparent also when values were corrected for total body mass (MP) and FFM (MP and PP), but not when corrected for cross-sectional area of thigh and calf.
Conclusion:
The lower anaerobic muscle performance in ELBW children may be partly due to their smaller muscle mass, but may also reflect a low percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, low muscle phosphagen content, or deficiency in motor control.