Adiposity Is Not Altered in Preterm Infants Fed With a Nutrient-Enriched Formula After Hospital Discharge

Abstract

To determine whether adiposity was altered, body size (weight, length) and composition, determined by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, were examined in preterm infants fed with a nutrient enriched (A, n ϭ 56), a term infant (B, n ϭ 57) or the nutrient enriched (discharge and term) plus the term formula (term and 6 mo; C, n ϭ 26), and a group of breast-fed preterm infants (D, n ϭ 25) at hospital discharge, 3, 6, and 12 mo corrected age. The results were analyzed using standard statistics. One hundred sixty-four infants (birth weight ϭ 1406 Ϯ 248 g, GA ϭ 31 Ϯ 1.7 wk) were studied. All infants underwent "catch-up," but weight and length were greater in infants in group A compared with groups B, C, or D. More rapid and complete "catch-up" was paralleled by increased total nonfat and fat mass (g) but not percentage of fat mass. Changes in fat mass (g) were primarily explained by increased fat accretion on the legs. More rapid and complete "catch-up" growth, therefore, reflected increased nonfat and peripheral fat mass. These data do not support the hypothesis of increased or central adiposity in infants fed a nutrient-enriched formula after hospital discharge. (Pediatr Res 67: 660-664, 2010)

Growth and Fat-Free Mass Gain in Preterm Infants After Discharge: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…6 However, recently, better growth and quality of growth in infants fed preterm or postdischarge formula after term have been reported. [7][8][9] To our knowledge, it has not been explored whether the consumption of formulas with extra energy or protein may exert benefits in terms of growth and weight gain composition in preterm infants according to intra-and extrauterine growth pattern. Observational data on growth and weight gain composition of preterm infants according to intrauterine growth pattern and according to postnatal growth have recently been reported.…”

DXA Performance in a Pediatric Population: Precision of Body Composition Measurements in Healthy Term-Born Infants Using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry

“…In accordance with Cooke et al (18), a difference of maximum 15% between estimated and actual total weight was considered the cutoff value for successful adjustment. All scans exceeding this value after adjustment would be excluded.…”

“…According to Cooke et al (18), scans should be deemed unusable if total mass calculated by the DXA software deviates O15% from the true weight of the infant. This was the case for 5 infants.…”

Nutrition of Preterm Infants after Discharge

“…Recently, Cooke et al [33 ]compared growth and body composition in preterm infants fed a nutrient-enriched formula to a term formula to a control group of breast-fed preterm infants. Infants fed the nutrient-enriched formula were heavier, longer and had a greater head circumference than the other groups.…”