[The fat ration for the premature infant]

The authors studied cantitative and calitative fat dietary intake in conditions of isocaloric energetic diets and effects on somatic development and on plasma levels of fats in 3 randomized populations of premature infants. They concluded that dietary intake of 3-6.4 g fats/kg b.w./24 hours permitted a satisfactory somatic development (weight, height, cranial circumference). In conditions of isocaloric energetic diets, levels of fat intake of 3g/kg b.w./24 hours delivered only the energy for proteic syntheses and levels of 5.6-6.4 g/kg b.w./24 hours also permitted the constitution of body deposits. The levels of total lipids and cholesterol were related to the dietary intake of fats. In case of dietary supplementation of linoleic acid, the plasma levels of cholesterol were reduced and the plasma levels of HDL were augmented.