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Total energy expenditure in small for gestational age infants
P S Davies1, H Clough, N J Bishop
1School of Human Movement Studies, Kelvin Grove Campus, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Insights
Small for gestational age (SGA) infants exhibit higher total energy expenditure than appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants when adjusted for fat-free mass. These findings are crucial for determining appropriate nutritional support for SGA infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Pediatric nutrition
- Metabolic research
Background:
- Infants small for gestational age (SGA) are at risk for metabolic complications.
- Previous studies suggest potential hypermetabolism in SGA infants, but direct measurement is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify total energy expenditure (TEE) and body composition in SGA infants.
- To investigate the hypothesis of hypermetabolism in SGA infants compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 52 SGA infants at 5 weeks of age.
- Comparison with existing data from AGA infants.
- Utilized the double labeled water technique to measure TEE and body composition.
Main Results:
- Multiple regression analysis confirmed that TEE per kg fat-free mass is a valid adjustment for body composition in infants.
- A significant difference in the relationship between TEE and fat-free mass was observed between SGA and AGA infants.
Conclusions:
- SGA infants demonstrate a greater TEE relative to their fat-free mass compared to AGA infants.
- These results highlight the need to consider the unique metabolic demands of SGA infants when planning nutritional interventions.
Aim:
To measure total energy expenditure and body composition in small for gestational age (SGA) infants in order to investigate proposed hypermetabolism in such babies.
Methods:
A cross sectional study of 52 SGA infants measured at 5 weeks of age was made, using existing data from appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants as controls. The double labelled water technique was used to assess both total energy expenditure and body composition.
Results:
Multiple regression analysis showed that expressing energy expenditure per kg fat free mass adjusts for body composition in infants of this age. The relation between total energy expenditure and fat free mass differed between the two groups.
Conclusion:
These data indicate that for a given fat free mass the total energy expenditure of SGA infants is greater than that of AGA infants. Such data should be taken into account when energy requirements for SGA infants are being considered.