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Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Topography in Long-Term Enterally Fed Children and Healthy Controls
Insights
Long-term enteral feeding in children results in adequate fat stores but hinders physical development. Tube-fed toddlers showed similar body fat distribution to controls but had significantly lower anthropometric measurements, indicating impaired growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Growth and Development
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Enteral feeding is crucial for children unable to consume adequate nutrition orally.
- Assessing the impact of long-term enteral feeding on growth and fat metabolism is vital.
- Understanding fat resorption and anthropometric outcomes in enterally fed children is of significant interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare subcutaneous body fat and anthropometric measurements in long-term enterally fed toddlers versus healthy controls.
- To investigate the influence of enteral feeding on physical development and fat stores in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Subcutaneous body fat thickness was measured using an optical device (Lipometer).
- Study included 33 long-term enterally fed toddlers and 275 healthy controls across three age groups.
- Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI, circumferences) were compared between groups.
Main Results:
- Enterally fed female toddlers had significantly lower height and weight compared to controls.
- Enterally fed male toddlers exhibited lower height, weight, BMI, and upper arm/waist circumferences.
- Despite similar body fat distribution, enterally fed toddlers showed significantly reduced anthropometric measurements.
Conclusions:
- Long-term enteral feeding in children is associated with sufficient fat stores.
- Enterally fed children demonstrate a significant deficit in physical development and anthropometric measures.
- Further research is needed to optimize growth outcomes in pediatric patients receiving long-term enteral nutrition.
Abstract:
In the context of enteral feeding in children the influence on growth and the question of fat resorption is of great interest. We, therefore, measured the thickness of subcutaneous body fat in a sample of long-term enterally fed toddlers and healthy controls. In 33 long-term enterally fed toddlers (10 girls, 23 boys) and 275 healthy controls (128 girls, 147 boys) subcutaneous body fat was measured by means) of the optical device Lipometer. All participants were divided into three age groups (infants, toddlers and children). The height (p=0. 014, -11.7 cm, -12.5%) and weight (p=0.012, -3.0 kg, -21.9%) of long-term enterally fed female toddlers were significantly lower than healthy controls, while male enterally fed toddlers had lower values in all anthropometric measures compared to healthy controls: height (p=0.003, -8.0 cm, -8.4%), weight (p<0.001, -3.5 kg, -24.8%), BMI (p=0.004, -1.3 BMI), Z-score BMI (p=0.001, -1.2 Z-score BMI), upper arm circumference (p<0.001, -1.6 cm, -10.1%) and waist circumference (p<0.001, -6.2 cm, -12.5%). Tube fed toddlers showed a similar body fat distribution when compared to healthy controls, but demonstrated significantly lower values of anthropometric measurements. The results indicate that long-term enterally fed children have ample fat stores but lack physical development.
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