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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Evaluation of the auxological and metabolic status in prepubertal children born small for gestational age
Meropi Toumba1, Andreas Hadjidemetriou, Maria Topouzi
1Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Makarios Hospital, Cyprus.
Insights
Children born small for gestational age (SGA) and very low birth weight (VLBW) are shorter and thinner. VLBW children show insulin resistance, while SGA children have lower IGF-I levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Growth and development
- Metabolic health
Background:
- Low birth weight (<2,500 g) is linked to poor growth and metabolic issues.
- Small for gestational age (SGA) and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants face significant health risks.
- Understanding postnatal growth and metabolic status in these children is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze postnatal growth patterns in SGA and VLBW children.
- To assess the metabolic status of SGA and VLBW children.
- To compare SGA and VLBW children with premature and full-term controls.
Main Methods:
- 104 prepubertal children were categorized into SGA-premature, SGA-full-term, LBW, and VLBW groups.
- A control group of appropriate for gestational age, full-term children was included.
- Anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests, and HOMA for insulin resistance were used.
Main Results:
- SGA and VLBW children exhibited lower weight, height, and BMI compared to controls.
- Most SGA full-term children achieved catch-up growth by 36 months; SGA premature children had lower rates.
- VLBW children showed elevated insulin resistance (HOMA), while SGA children had lower IGF-I levels.
Conclusions:
- SGA and VLBW children are growth-impaired compared to controls.
- SGA full-term children show better catch-up growth than SGA premature children.
- VLBW children exhibit insulin resistance, and SGA children present with lower IGF-I levels.
Background:
Low birth weight (BW) (<2,500 g) is associated with a high risk of impaired postnatal growth and late metabolic consequences. The aim of this study is to describe the postnatal growth pattern and the metabolic status of children born small for gestational age (SGA) and compare them with premature children born with low (1,500-2,500 g) and very low (<1,500 g) BW.
Children And Methods:
104 prepubertal children (47 males and 57 females) aged 3.0 to 8.9 years were divided into four groups according to their birth weight adjusted for gestational age (GA): SGA-premature (SGApr): BW < -2 SD, GA <37 wk (n = 17); SGA-full-term (SGAt): BW < -2 SD, GA >37 wk (n = 29); low birth weight (LBW): BW = 1,500-2,500 g, GA <37 wk (n = 35); very low birth weight (VLBW): BW <1,500 g, GA <37 wk (n = 23). The control group consisted of 27 full-term appropriate for gestational age, prepubertal children matched for age. All children had anthropometric and laboratory measurements. The HOMA model was used to estimate insulin resistance (IR).
Results:
Weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were significantly lower in the SGA groups -- both term and premature -- (p <0.05) and particularly lower in the VLBW children (p <0.01). At the age of 36 months, 99.6% of SGAt and a smaller percentage of SGApr (88.2%) children achieved catch-up growth. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were lower in the children born SGA, both term and premature, compared to the controls (p <0.05) and especially in those who had catch-up after the age of 6 months (p <0.002). VLBW children aged 6-8.9 years had significantly higher HOMA compared to controls of the same age group (p = 0.005), whereas no evidence of IR was found in the SGA children. None of the children had developed premature adrenarche by the day of examination.
Conclusions:
Prepubertal children born SGA and VLBW are thinner and shorter than their age-matched controls. A larger percentage of SGA full-term children achieve catch-up growth than SGA premature children by 3 years of age. SGA children and especially those with late catch-up growth have lower IGF-I levels. Children with VLBW show evidence of IR at age 6-8.9 years. None of the girls showed precocious sexual development by the day of examination.
