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Body composition and cognition in preschool-age children with congenital gastrointestinal anomalies

Erin A Plummer1, Qi Wang2, Catherine M Larson-Nath3

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Early Human Development
|December 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Children with congenital gastrointestinal anomalies (CGIAs) who had higher fat-free mass (FFM) showed better cognitive function. Monitoring body composition and increasing FFM may improve long-term outcomes for these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Children with congenital gastrointestinal anomalies (CGIAs) face hospitalization stressors impacting growth and development.
  • Early stress and poor nutrition in these children are linked to developmental delays.
  • In other at-risk groups, improved fat-free mass (FFM) correlates with better cognitive outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between body composition and cognitive function in preschool-aged children with CGIAs.
  • To understand if FFM accretion influences cognitive development in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study included 34 preschool-aged children with CGIAs.
  • Body composition was assessed using air displacement plethysmography and anthropometric measurements.
  • Cognitive function was evaluated using the NIH Toolbox Early Childhood Cognition Battery.
  • Linear regression analyzed the relationship between body composition and cognitive scores.

Main Results:

  • Children with CGIAs exhibited similar anthropometric measurements and body composition compared to healthy peers.
  • Processing speed scores were significantly lower than standardized means.
  • Increased FFM was positively associated with higher receptive vocabulary, cognitive flexibility, and general cognitive function scores.

Conclusions:

  • Preschool-aged children with CGIAs generally show comparable growth and body composition to their peers.
  • Higher FFM in children with CGIAs is linked to enhanced cognitive performance.
  • Close monitoring of body composition and interventions to increase FFM are recommended to improve long-term outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
Body compositionFat-free massInflammationNeonatal surgeryNeurodevelopmentOutcomes

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