Objective: To assess the influence of low birth weight in full-term infants on body composition at school age.Method: This is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of 375 infants recruited at birth between 1993 and 1994 in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. At 8 years of age, the body composition of 213 children from this cohort was assessed by measurement of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness and mid upper arm circumference. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify the influence of low birth weight, socioeconomic condition, maternal nutritional status, and child morbidity on triceps skinfold thickness.Results: Mean triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, mid upper arm circumference, and upper arm muscle and fat areas were lower in children born at term with low weight than in those with appropriate birth weight. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the relative majority of variance in triceps skinfold thickness (12.3%) was explained by socioeconomic variables, particularly per capita family income (9.1%), followed by anemia and past hospitalization (which, together, explained 5.6% of variance) and maternal body mass index, which contributed toward 2.4% of this variance. Low birth weight had no influence on triceps subcutaneous fat deposition in this age group. Conclusion:Socioeconomic factors and a history of morbidity had a greater influence on body composition than low birth weight in schoolchildren born at term.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2011;87(1):29-35: Low birth weight, fetal growth retardation, skinfold thickness, body composition, nutritional status, cohort studies. ResumoObjetivo: Verificar a influência do baixo peso de crianças nascidas a termo sobre a composição corporal na idade escolar.Método: Este estudo consistiu de um corte transversal aninhado em uma coorte de 375 crianças recrutadas ao nascimento em 1993-1994 no estado de Pernambuco. Aos 8 anos de idade, 213 crianças tiveram a composição corporal avaliada através da mensuração da espessura das pregas cutâneas tricipital e subescapular e da circunferência do braço. A regressão linear multivariada foi utilizada para identificar a influência do baixo peso ao nascer, das condições socioeconômicas, do estado nutricional materno e morbidade da criança na prega cutânea tricipital. Resultados:As médias das pregas cutâneas tricipital e subescapular, da circunferência do braço e das áreas muscular e de gordura do braço foram menores nas crianças nascidas com baixo peso em relação às nascidas com peso adequado; no entanto, essas diferenças não foram estatisticamente significantes. Na análise de regressão linear multivariada, as variáveis socioeconômicas explicaram o maior percentual da variação da prega cutânea tricipital (12,3%), especialmente a renda familiar per capita (9,1%), seguida da ocorrência de anemia e da hospitalização anterior, que juntas explicaram 5,6%, e do índice de massa corporal materna, que contribuiu com 2,4% dessa varia...

Objective: To assess the influence of low birth weight in full-term infants on body composition at school age.Method: This is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of 375 infants recruited at birth between 1993 and 1994 in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. At 8 years of age, the body composition of 213 children from this cohort was assessed by measurement of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness and mid upper arm circumference. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify the influence of low birth weight, socioeconomic condition, maternal nutritional status, and child morbidity on triceps skinfold thickness.Results: Mean triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, mid upper arm circumference, and upper arm muscle and fat areas were lower in children born at term with low weight than in those with appropriate birth weight. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the relative majority of variance in triceps skinfold thickness (12.3%) was explained by socioeconomic variables, particularly per capita family income (9.1%), followed by anemia and past hospitalization (which, together, explained 5.6% of variance) and maternal body mass index, which contributed toward 2.4% of this variance. Low birth weight had no influence on triceps subcutaneous fat deposition in this age group. Conclusion:Socioeconomic factors and a history of morbidity had a greater influence on body composition than low birth weight in schoolchildren born at term. (Rio J). 2011;87(1):29-35: Low birth weight, fetal growth retardation, skinfold thickness, body composition, nutritional status, cohort studies. J Pediatr