Physical Activity in 6.5-Year-Old Children Born Extremely Preterm.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiovascular Health
• Developmental Science

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is crucial for preventing cardiovascular diseases.
• Children born preterm may face motor impairments affecting their PA levels compared to term-born children.
• Understanding PA differences in preterm populations is vital for long-term health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare objectively measured PA in extremely preterm children versus term-born peers at 6.5 years of age.
• To investigate associations between PA and neonatal factors (prenatal growth, brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, septicemia) in extremely preterm children.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study comparing 71 extremely preterm (<27 weeks GA) children with 87 term-born controls.
• Objective PA measurement using wrist accelerometers over 7 consecutive days.
• Statistical analysis (ANOVA) to compare PA levels and assess associations with neonatal outcomes.

Main Results:

• Extremely preterm boys spent 22 minutes less per day in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to control boys; no significant difference was observed in girls.
• Major neonatal brain injury in extremely preterm children was associated with a reduction of 56 minutes per day in MVPA.
• Subgroups of extremely preterm children demonstrated lower PA levels.

Conclusions:

• Extremely preterm boys exhibit reduced daily MVPA compared to term-born boys.
• Neonatal brain injury significantly impacts MVPA in extremely preterm children.
• Lower physical activity levels in subgroups of extremely preterm children may contribute to future cardiovascular disease risk.