Body composition in appropriate and in small for gestational age infants

Abstract

The body composition of 70 appropriate for gestational age newborn infants whose gestational age ranged from 32 to 41 weeks was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry during the first 48 h of life. The evolution of the bone mineral content, fat and lean mass was well correlated with gestational age (r = 0.66, r = 0.66 and r = 0.82, respectively) but even more closely with birthweight (r = 0.85, r = 0.91 and r = 0.97, respectively). The body composition of 20 symmetric small for gestational age infants (mean gestational age +/- SD = 38.1 +/- 1.2 weeks; mean birthweight +/- SD = 2117 +/- 183 g) was also studied. The total body fat, the lean mass and the bone mineral content of small for gestational age infants were decreased significantly in comparison with those of appropriate for gestational age infants with the same gestational age (p < or = 0.05, p < or = 0.0001 and p < or = 0.05) but was not significantly different from those observed in appropriate for gestational age infants of the same birthweight.

Dynamic change in adiposity from fetal to postnatal life is involved in the metabolic syndrome associated with reduced fetal growth

“…Previous studies have shown that a low ponderal index in subjects born SGA was associated with a dramatically reduced body fat mass at birth [27,28]. Therefore, thinness at birth can mainly be seen as the reflection of the altered fetal development of adiposity.…”

Adipose tissue dysregulation and metabolic consequences in childhood and adolescent obesity: potential impact of dietary fat quality

“…Not surprisingly, maternal obesity as well as under-and overnutrition in utero have shown potential to instil long-lasting metabolic consequences, possibly via epigenetic modifications (130,131) . AT growth is significantly impaired during fetal growth restriction (128,132) .The relatively high-energy cost of AT accretion means that during periods of suboptimal fetal energy supply, AT expansion is sacrificed in favour of other essential organs (133) . This raises the possibility of reduced capacity to expand SAT in the postnatal environment owing to reduced preadipocyte generation (134)(135)(136) .…”

Birth size, adult body composition and muscle strength in later life

“…Studies on body composition have shown that low weight of infants born small for gestational age seems to be primarily attributable to reduced lean body mass. 11 This type of growth deficit tracks through childhood 12 and adolescence 13 into adulthood. [14][15][16][17] Not only lean and fat compartments of body mass but also fat distribution seem to be determined during fetal life.…”