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Early diet in preterm babies and developmental status at 18 months

A Lucas1, R Morley, T J Cole

  • 1MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge.

Lancet (London, England)
|June 23, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Nutrient-enriched preterm formula significantly improved developmental outcomes in preterm infants compared to standard term formula. These benefits were most pronounced in motor function, especially for small-for-gestational-age infants and males.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Nutrition
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Nutrition

Background:

  • Preterm infants often require specialized nutrition to support optimal growth and development.
  • Standard term formulas may not meet the unique nutritional demands of preterm infants.
  • Early nutrition plays a crucial role in long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term developmental effects of feeding preterm infants a nutrient-enriched preterm formula versus a standard term formula.
  • To assess the impact of early diet on cognitive, motor, and social development at 18 months corrected age.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 424 preterm infants.
  • Infants were assigned to receive either a standard term formula or a nutrient-enriched preterm formula.
  • Developmental outcomes were assessed at 18 months corrected age via blind evaluation.

Main Results:

  • Infants fed preterm formula demonstrated significant developmental advantages over those fed term formula.
  • Motor development showed greater improvement than mental development.
  • Benefits were particularly notable in small-for-gestational-age infants and males, with motor advantages of 15 and 23 points, respectively.
  • Preterm formula feeding was associated with a lower incidence of moderate developmental impairment, especially motor impairment.

Conclusions:

  • Early nutritional intervention with specialized preterm formula has lasting positive effects on neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
  • The initial weeks postnatally appear critical for nutritional programming and long-term developmental trajectories.
  • Optimizing preterm infant nutrition is essential for maximizing developmental potential.

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