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Body composition at birth in preterm infants between 30 and 36 weeks gestation
S E Ramel1, H L Gray, B A Davern
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Pediatric Obesity
|January 29, 2014
Summary
Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) is a feasible method to assess body composition in preterm infants. This study provides the first descriptive fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) data for healthy newborns, aiding nutritional management.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy and Perinatal Medicine
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Aggressive management of preterm infants is recommended to achieve in utero body composition.
- Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) is validated for assessing preterm infant body composition.
- Lack of comparative body composition data for healthy preterm infants at birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide the first descriptive fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) data for healthy newborn preterm infants.
- To establish reference data for in utero body composition proxies.
- To inform nutritional status monitoring during hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Body mass and volume measured using ADP within 72 hours of birth in 98 preterm infants.
- Infants were singleton and appropriate-for-gestational-age.
- Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) calculated using the Fomon equation.
Main Results:
- ADP measurement was feasible and well-tolerated in infants from 30 weeks gestation.
- Fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) increased linearly with gestational age.
- Mean ADP values aligned with reference data from chemical analysis of stillbirths.
Conclusions:
- Body composition assessment via ADP is feasible in preterm newborns.
- ADP provides group estimates comparable to reference fetal data.
- Integrating body composition data may optimize preterm infant growth and development.
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