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Permanent deficits in handgrip strength and running speed performance in low birth weight children
Marcos Moura-Dos-Santos1, João Wellington-Barros, Marcelus Brito-Almeida
1Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco 50670-901, Brazil.
Insights
Low birth weight (LBW) in children does not solely determine growth or body composition. However, LBW is a predictor of reduced muscle strength and running speed in children aged 7-10 years.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Sports Medicine
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Low birth weight (LBW) is a significant global health concern with potential long-term implications for child development.
- Understanding the impact of LBW on physical fitness is crucial for targeted interventions and health strategies.
- Previous research has explored various factors influencing child physical fitness, but the specific role of LBW requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of low birth weight (LBW) on the physical fitness of children aged 7-10 years.
- To compare physical fitness parameters between children with LBW and those with normal birth weight (NBW).
- To adjust for confounding factors such as chronological age, gender, physical activity (PA), and body composition in the analysis.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 356 children (LBW n=100, NBW n=256) from Northeast Brazil were assessed.
- Comprehensive measurements included body composition (weight, height, BMI, skinfolds, %BF) and physical fitness tests (handgrip strength, endurance, power, flexibility, agility, VO2max, running speed).
- Physical activity was evaluated using a questionnaire.
Main Results:
- LBW children exhibited lower body weight, height, fat-free mass, muscle strength, and running speed compared to NBW children.
- Adjusting for covariates, differences in body weight, height, fat-free mass, and VO2max between groups were no longer significant.
- Significant differences in handgrip strength and running speed persisted in LBW children even after controlling for age, gender, height, fat-free mass, and PA.
Conclusions:
- Low birth weight alone is not a sole biological determinant of growth, body composition, or overall physical fitness in children.
- LBW is identified as a significant predictor of reduced muscle strength and running speed in this cohort.
- These findings highlight the specific vulnerabilities associated with LBW concerning motor performance in childhood.
Objective:
The main goal of this study was to verify the influence of low birth weight (LBW) on the physical fitness of children aged 7-10 years. The comparisons were subsequently adjusted for chronological age, gender, physical activity (PA), and body composition.
Methods:
A total of 356 children of both genders born in Vitoria de Santo Antão (Northeast of Brazil) were divided into two groups according to their birth weight (LBW < 2.500 g, n = 100, and normal birth weight, NBW ≥ 3.000 g and ≤ 3.999 g, n = 256). Body composition measurements included body weight, height, body mass index, triceps, and subscapular skinfolds, and body fat percentage (%BF). PA was assessed by a questionnaire. Physical fitness was assessed by handgrip strength, muscle endurance, explosive power, flexibility, agility, maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max) ), and running speed.
Results:
LBW children were shorter, lighter, had lower fat-free mass, muscle strength, and running speed but a higher VO(2max) than the NBW group. The differences in body weight (P = 0.507), height (P = 0.177), fat-free mass (P = 0.374), and VO(2max) (P = 0.312) disappeared when adjusted for covariates. The differences in right and left handgrip strength (P < 0.01) and running speed (P < 0.01) remained significant even when controlled for age, gender, height, fat-free mass, and PA.
Conclusion:
This combined analysis suggests that LBW alone can be not considered as a biological determinant of growth, body composition, or physical fitness in children, but is a predictor of muscle strength and running speed.
