Association of early postnatal growth trajectory with body composition in term low birth weight infants

Abstract

Growth acceleration or catch-up growth (CUG) in early infancy is a plausible risk factor for later obesity and cardiovascular disease. We postulate that this risk may be mediated by an adverse programming of body composition by CUG in early infancy. The study was aimed at evaluating the association between the pattern of gain in weight and length of term low birth weight (LBW) infants from birth to 6 months, with fat mass percent (FM%) at 6 months. Term healthy singleton LBW infants were enrolled. Baby's weight and length z-scores were measured at birth and three follow-up visits. Body composition was measured by dual-energy absorptiometry at last visit. A total of 54 babies (28 boys) were enrolled. The mean birth weight and gestation were 2175±180 g and 37.6±0.6 weeks. Follow-up visits were at 1.4±0.0, 3.0±0.3 and 7.2±0.8 months. The proportion of babies who showed CUG [increase in weight for age z-score (∆WAZ)>0.67] from birth to 1.4, 3.0 and 7.2 months was 29.6, 26.4 and 48.5%, respectively. The mean FM% at 7.2 months was 16.6±7.8%. Infants with greater ∆WAZ from birth to 3 and 7.2 months had significantly greater FM% at 7.2 months after adjusting for current age, size and gender. Infants with early CUG (<1.4 months) had higher FM% than infants with no CUG. We conclude that earlier and greater increment in WAZ is positively associated with FM%.

Physical growth of the shuar: Height, Weight, and BMI references for an indigenous amazonian population

“…Few comparably detailed data are currently available to assess the degree to which nuanced characteristics of Shuar growth reflect those of other Amazonians and small‐scale indigenous groups. Considering a wider range of human populations, it is well documented that rapid growth in height and weight over the first few months of life (Karlberg et al, ; Khandelwal et al, ) as well as subsequent faltering in these measures between the age of 3 and 24 months (Shrimpton et al, ; WHO, ) are common patterns of growth in many developing populations. This observation includes limited data from the Bolivian Amazon suggesting declines from international growth references during infancy among the indigenous Tsimane', Pueblo Tacana, and Esse‐Ejjas (Benefice et al, ; Foster et al, ).…”

Infant adiposity at birth and early postnatal weight gain predict increased aortic intima-media thickness at 6 weeks of age: a population-derived cohort study

“…Higher postnatal growth velocity has been implicated in the development of subsequent obesity and central fat distribution [24,25,[55][56][57]. Although most studies have investigated weight gain in the first 6 months to 2 years of life and later obesity, some studies indicate that weight gain as early as the first week of life may be relevant [54,58].…”

The transcription factor SOX6 contributes to the developmental origins of obesity by promoting adipogenesis

“…The role of low birth weight in the development of human adult non-communicable diseases has been described (Lackland et al, 2000;Tian et al, 2006). In particular, infants with low birth weight and fetal growth restriction combined with accelerated catch-up in the first few years of life are at higher risk of developing obesity (Khandelwal et al, 2014;Varvarigou, 2010).…”