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Growth and bone mineralization of young adults weighing less than 1500 g at birth

H A Weiler1, C K Yuen, M M Seshia

  • 1Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2. hweiler@ms.umanitoba.ca

Early Human Development
|March 15, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Early infant growth significantly impacts adult bone mineral content (BMC) in preterm individuals. Despite lower height, preterm adults achieve appropriate bone mass for their body size.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Growth and Development
  • Bone Metabolism

Background:

  • Preterm infants often experience suboptimal growth and bone mineralization compared to term-born infants.
  • Long-term outcomes of preterm birth into early adulthood regarding growth and bone health remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if early-life growth and nutrition in preterm infants (<1500g) predict adult outcomes.
  • To assess whole-body and regional bone mineral content (BMC) in young adults born preterm compared to term-born controls.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive follow-up study comparing young adults born preterm (<1500g) with term-born controls (n=25 each group, age 17.2-17.3 years).
  • Correlation and regression analyses examined relationships between infant growth/nutrition and adult anthropometry/BMC in the preterm group.
  • T-tests compared adult anthropometry and BMC between preterm and term-born groups.

Main Results:

  • Rate of weight gain in infancy positively correlated with adult BMC; days to regain birth weight negatively correlated with adult BMC.
  • Young adults born preterm were significantly shorter and had lower whole-body BMC than term-born peers.
  • Despite lower overall BMC, bone mineral content was appropriate for body size in the preterm group.

Conclusions:

  • Early-life growth trajectories are significant predictors of attained adult growth and bone mass.
  • Premature birth is associated with reduced adult height but results in bone mass appropriate for individual body size.
Abstract

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