The Thin But Fat Phenotype is Uncommon at Birth in Indian Babies
Rebecca Kuriyan1, Saba Naqvi1, Kishor G Bhat1
1Division of Nutrition, St. John's Research Institute, Bengaluru, India.
Insights
Indian babies born with normal birth weight do not exhibit the "thin but fat" phenotype. Body weight positively correlates with body fat, impacting noncommunicable disease risk later in life.
Area of Science:
- Human Physiology
- Pediatric Health
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- The
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely measure body fat percentage (%BF) and body cell mass (BCM) in Indian newborns.
- To compare %BF and BCM across gestational ages and sexes.
- To test the
Main Methods:
- Recruited 156 term newborns (≥2500 g) from middle socioeconomic status mothers in Bengaluru, India.
- Measured anthropometry, %BF (air displacement plethysmography), and BCM (whole-body potassium counter).
- Analyzed maternal demographics and anthropometry; explored newborn %BF and body weight relationship via regression.
Main Results:
- Mean birth weight was 3.0 ± 0.3 kg; mean %BF was 9.8 ± 3.5%, comparable to published estimates.
- Appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) babies had higher %BF and %BCM than small-for-gestational age (SGA) babies.
- Girls had significantly higher %BF and lower %BCM than boys; body weight positively correlated with %BF.
Conclusions:
- Normal birth weight Indian babies do not exhibit the hypothesized "thin but fat" phenotype.
- SGA babies did not show preserved %BF, as body weight and fat are positively correlated.
- Findings are relevant for early childhood interventions to mitigate noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk.
Background:
Indian babies are hypothesized to be born thin but fat. This has not been confirmed with precise measurements at birth. If it is true, it could track into later life and confer risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
Objectives:
Primarily, to accurately measure percentage of body fat (%BF) and body cell mass (BCM) in Indian babies with normal birth weight, compare them across different gestational ages and sex, and test the hypothesis of the thin but fat phenotype in Indian babies. Secondarily, to examine the relation between body weight and body fat in Indian babies.
Methods:
Term newborns (n = 156) weighing ≥2500 g, from middle socioeconomic status mothers were recruited in Bengaluru, India, and their anthropometry, %BF (air displacement plethysmography), and BCM (whole-body potassium counter) were measured. Maternal demography and anthropometry were recorded. The mean %BF and its dispersion were compared with earlier studies. The relation between newborn %BF and body weight was explored by regression analysis.
Results:
Mean birth weight was 3.0 ± 0.3 kg, with mean %BF 9.8 ± 3.5%, which was comparable to pooled estimates of %BF from published studies (9.8%; 95% CI: 9.7, 10.0; P > 0.05). Appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) babies had higher %BF (1.8%) compared to small-for-gestational age (SGA) babies (P < 0.01). Mean %BCM of all babies at birth was 35.4 ± 10.5%; AGA babies had higher %BCM compared to SGA babies (7.0%, P < 0.05). Girls in comparison to boys had significantly higher %BF and lower %BCM. Body weight was positively associated with %BF.
Conclusion:
Indian babies with normal birth weight did not demonstrate the thin but fat phenotype. Body weight and fat had positive correlation, such that SGA babies did not show a preservation of their %BF. These findings will have relevance in planning optimal interventions during early childhood to prevent NCDs risk in adult life.
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