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Association of early postnatal growth trajectory with body composition in term low birth weight infants

P Khandelwal1, V Jain1, A K Gupta2

  • 11 Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
|June 6, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Catch-up growth in early infancy, defined as rapid weight gain, is linked to higher body fat percentage later. This early growth pattern in low birth weight infants may program for increased fat mass, a risk factor for future health issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Early infancy catch-up growth (CUG) is a potential risk factor for later obesity and cardiovascular disease.
  • This risk may stem from adverse body composition programming during early CUG.
  • Low birth weight (LBW) infants are a key population to study for these effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between weight and length gain patterns in term LBW infants from birth to 6 months.
  • To determine the relationship between CUG patterns and fat mass percentage (FM%) at 6 months.
  • To investigate if early CUG influences later body composition.

Main Methods:

  • Term, healthy, singleton LBW infants were enrolled.
  • Weight and length z-scores were measured at birth and three follow-up visits up to 7.2 months.
  • Body composition, specifically fat mass percent (FM%), was measured using dual-energy absorptiometry.

Main Results:

  • Nearly half (48.5%) of infants showed CUG by 7.2 months.
  • Infants with greater weight-for-age z-score increments (∆WAZ) from birth to 3 and 7.2 months had significantly higher FM% at 7.2 months.
  • Early CUG (before 1.4 months) was associated with higher FM% at 7.2 months.

Conclusions:

  • Earlier and greater increments in weight-for-age z-score are positively associated with increased fat mass percentage.
  • Catch-up growth in early infancy may adversely program body composition, increasing fat mass.
  • These findings highlight the importance of monitoring early growth in LBW infants for long-term health outcomes.

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