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Effects of chronobiological feeding model on sleep and physiological parameters of preterm infants: A randomized
Ebru Temizsoy1, Neslihan Bozkurt2, Fahri Ovalı2
1Istanbul Bilgi Üniversity, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Istanbul, Turkiye.
Insights
Aligning infant feeding with biological rhythms, known as chrononutrition, significantly improved sleep duration in preterm infants. This feeding model enhanced quiet sleep without negatively impacting physiological outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Chronobiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Circadian rhythm development is crucial for preterm infants.
- Chrononutrition, aligning food intake with biological rhythms, shows potential for improving infant health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a chronobiological feeding model on sleep and physiological parameters in preterm infants.
- To assess if timed milk administration influences circadian rhythm development and sleep quality.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 60 preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit.
- Infants were assigned to either a chrononutrition group (timed milk administration) or a control group.
- Sleep duration, crying time, and physiological data were monitored.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in birth weight or demographic characteristics between groups.
- The chrononutrition group exhibited significantly longer quiet sleep duration at discharge (79.5 min vs. 47.9 min).
- The chrononutrition group showed a greater increase in quiet sleep duration over time compared to the control group (48.9 min vs. 22.7 min).
Conclusions:
- Chronobiology-based feeding effectively improved sleep duration in preterm infants.
- The feeding model did not adversely affect physiological parameters or crying duration.
- Further research is recommended to explore the long-term effects on circadian and developmental processes.
Abstract:
Aligning feeding schedules with biological rhythms in chrononutrition could aid circadian rhythm development. The objective of this research was to assess how a chronobiological feeding model influences sleep and physiological outcomes in preterm infants. This randomized controlled trial was carried out in a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit from April 2023 to March 2024. Sixty preterm infants were randomly assigned either to the intervention group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). In the intervention group, milk expressed at specific times of the day was administered correspondingly. Data on demographic features, sleep duration, crying time, and physiological parameters were collected using a structured monitoring form. The mean birth weight did not differ significantly between groups (chrononutrition = 1985.4 ± 731.8 g; control = 1946.4 ± 545.7 g; p = 0.815). No differences were found in demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). Oral feeding initiation (OFI) quiet sleep duration was similar between groups (30.6 ± 33.3 vs. 25.7 ± 20.9 min; p = 0.497). At the time of discharge, infants in the chrononutrition group had a significantly longer quiet sleep duration (79.5 ± 46.4 vs. 47.9 ± 20 min; p = 0.001) with higher increase over time (48.9 ± 35.3 vs. 22.7 ± 25.6 min; p = 0.002). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of crying duration or physiological parameters (p > 0.05). Chronobiology-based feeding improved sleep among preterm infants without altering physiological balance. Further investigation should assess its lasting impact on circadian and developmental processes.
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