An Evaluation of the Pea Pod System for Assessing Body Composition of Moderately Premature Infants

(1) Background: Assessing the quality of growth in premature infants is important in order to be able to provide them with optimal nutrition. The Pea Pod device, based on air displacement plethysmography, is able to assess body composition of infants. However, this method has not been sufficiently evaluated in premature infants; (2) Methods: In 14 infants in an age range of 3–7 days, born after 32–35 completed weeks of gestation, body weight, body volume, fat-free mass density (predicted by the Pea Pod software), and total body water (isotope dilution) were assessed. Reference estimates of fat-free mass density and body composition were obtained using a three-component model; (3) Results: Fat-free mass density values, predicted using Pea Pod, were biased but not significantly (p > 0.05) different from reference estimates. Body fat (%), assessed using Pea Pod, was not significantly different from reference estimates. The biological variability of fat-free mass density was 0.55% of the average value (1.0627 g/mL); (4) Conclusion: The results indicate that the Pea Pod system is accurate for groups of newborn, moderately premature infants. However, more studies where this system is used for premature infants are needed, and we provide suggestions regarding how to develop this area

Premature birth was not associated with increased body fatness in four-year-old boys and girls

Aim Premature birth is a worldwide problem and increases the risk of chronic disease later in life. Prematurely born infants may have a high percentage of body fat at term-equivalent age, but it is unclear if this characteristic is maintained in childhood. Therefore, we compared the size and body composition of four-year-old prematurely born children to such values of full-term controls. Methods Between 2013 and 2015, we assessed weight, height, fat mass and fat-free mass, using air displacement plethysmography in 188 reasonably healthy prematurely born four-year-olds (98 boys). Results At four years of age, prematurely born children (gestational weeks at birth: 23.3-36.9) tended to be lighter and shorter and to contain less fat mass and fat-free mass than did full-term controls. The gestational age at birth of the prematurely born children correlated positively and significantly (P amp;lt; .05) with height, weight, body mass index, fat mass (kg, %), fat mass index and fat-free mass (kg) in girls but not in boys. Conclusion Prematurity was not associated with increased body fatness in our four-year-olds. Our findings are relevant in relation to previously published results showing that premature birth is associated with chronic disease later in life.Funding Agencies|Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden</p

Body composition and growth in full-term small for gestational age and large for gestational age Swedish infants assessed with air displacement plethysmography at birth and at 3-4 months of age

Background Being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) has short and long term metabolic consequences. There is a growing interest in the extent to which body composition, both in the short and the long term, differs in infants born at the extremes of these birth weights. Methods Body composition in 25 SGA and 25 LGA infants were assessed during the first days of life and at 3–4 months of age using air displacement plethysmography. Results SGA infants had significantly lower body fat (%) at birth compared to LGA infants. SGA infants increased their body weight and length at a significantly higher rate between birth and 3–4 months than LGA infants. Fat mass (g) in SGA infants increased 23 times between birth and 3–4 months of age compared to 2.8 times for LGA infants. At 3–4 months of age LGA infants reached a threshold in body fat (%) while SGA infants were still gaining body fat (%). Conclusion Several significant differences have been identified between SGA and LGA infants, indicating that the effects of intrauterine life continues to play an important role in body composition and growth during the first 3–4 months of life

Different feeding regimens were not associated with variation in body composition in preterm infants

Aim: The aim was to determine body composition and growth in preterm infants based on two different feeding regimens and to assess how standard and individual fortification (IF) affect energy and protein intake. Body composition was assessed at full term and at four months corrected age. Methods: Sixty preterm infants born before gestational week 32 were randomized either to IF of mother’s breast milk after it had been analyzed or to standard fortification (SF) of mother’s breast milk based on the average protein and energy content of breast milk. Body composition was measured at full term and at four months corrected age, using air displacement plethysmography. Growth rate and nutritional intake analyses were also conducted. Results: At 40 weeks gestational age, there was no difference between weight (g) (IF 3056 ± 472 vs. SF 3119 ± 564), body fat (%) (IF 19 ± 3.3 vs. SF 21 ± 5.6), fat mass, or fat-free mass between the two groups. Furthermore, there was no difference between the groups in weight, length, head circumference, or body composition at four months corrected age. Conclusions: Fortification based on breast milk analysis may not improve growth in preterm infants compared to SF. However, both groups were smaller and had a different body composition at term corrected age compared to infants born at term

Effects of a gestational weight gain restriction program for obese women : Sibling pairs’ weight development during the first five years of life

Objectives: Successful gestational weight gain (GWG) restriction programs for obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2) pregnant women, have not, so far, shown convincing effects on infant's weight development. An intervention starting during the pregnancy might be too late and a pre-conceptional life style change may be preferable. Thus, the aim of this study was to follow children born to mothers who had participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy, and make comparisons with their younger siblings. Study design and main outcome measures: An extended analysis of 262 children belonging to an intervention group and a control group. The effects of BMI at five years of age and weight-for-length/height development from two months of age until five years of age were assessed. Results: In the intervention group there was a difference in BMI at five years of age, between index boys and their younger sisters (p = 0.016). Mean BMI was lower among the boys compared with their younger female siblings. Regarding maternal GWG or the Swedish national reference data there was no difference between the index children and their younger siblings within the intervention or control groups or between younger siblings in the two groups. Conclusions: Maternal pre-conceptional lifestyle change may have a positive effect on the child's weight development during the five first years of age. However, the effect of participation in an extensive GWG restriction program when it comes to the impact on the offspring's weight development is still unclear and further research is required

Effects of a Gestational Weight Gain Restriction Program for Obese Pregnant Women: Childrens Weight Development during the First Five Years of Life

Background: Maternal prepregnancy obesity (BMI 30kg/m(2)) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) have shown a strong positive association with a higher BMI and risk of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of a GWG restriction program for obese pregnant women on the childrens BMI at 5 years of age and weight-for-length/height (WL/H) development from 2 months of age until 5 years of age. Methods: This was a follow-up study of 302 children (137 children in an intervention group and 165 children in a control group) whose mothers participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy. Results: BMI at five years of age did not differ between girls and boys in the intervention and control group. The degree of maternal GWG, amp;lt;7kg or 7kg, did not affect the offsprings WL/H. Compared with Swedish reference data, just over half of the children in both the intervention and control group had a BMI within the average range, whereas slightly more than one-third of the children had a higher BMI. Conclusion: Despite a comprehensive gestational intervention program for obese women containing individual weekly visits and opportunity to participate in aqua aerobic classes, there were no differences between BMI or weight development among the offspring at 5 years of age in the intervention and control group.Funding Agencies|Health Research Council of the Southeast of Sweden; County Council of Ostergotland</p

Premature birth was not associated with increased body fatness in four-year-old boys and girls

Aim: Premature birth is a worldwide problem and increases the risk of chronic disease later in life. Prematurely born infants may have a high percentage of body fat at term-equivalent age, but it is unclear if this characteristic is maintained in childhood. Therefore, we compared the size and body composition of four-year-old prematurely born children to such values of full-term controls. Methods: Between 2013 and 2015, we assessed weight, height, fat mass and fat-free mass, using air displacement plethysmography in 188 reasonably healthy prematurely born four-year-olds (98 boys). Results: At four years of age, prematurely born children (gestational weeks at birth: 23.3-36.9) tended to be lighter and shorter and to contain less fat mass and fat-free mass than did full-term controls. The gestational age at birth of the prematurely born children correlated positively and significantly (P <.05) with height, weight, body mass index, fat mass (kg, %), fat mass index and fat-free mass (kg) in girls but not in boys. Conclusion: Prematurity was not associated with increased body fatness in our four-year-olds. Our findings are relevant in relation to previously published results showing that premature birth is associated with chronic disease later in life

Nutrient intakes independently affect growth in extremely preterm infants: results from a population-based study

AimTo explore associations between energy and macronutrient intakes and early growth in extremely low gestational age (ELGA) infants. MethodsRetrospective population-based study of all ELGA infants (<27weeks) born in Sweden during 2004-2007. Detailed data on nutrition and anthropometric measurements from birth to 70days of postnatal age were retrieved from hospital records. ResultsStudy infants (n=531) had a meanSD gestational age of 25.3 +/- 1.1weeks and a birth weight of 765 +/- 170g. Between 0 and 70days, average daily energy and protein intakes were 120 +/- 11kcal/kg and 3.2 +/- 0.4g/kg, respectively. During this period, standard deviation scores for weight, length and head circumference decreased by 1.4, 2.3 and 0.7, respectively. Taking gestational age, baseline anthropometrics and severity of illness into account, lower energy intake correlated with lower gain in weight (r=+0.315, p<0.001), length (r=+0.215, p<0.001) and head circumference (r=+0.218, p<0.001). Protein intake predicted growth in all anthropometric outcomes, and fat intake was positively associated with head circumference growth. ConclusionExtremely low gestational age infants received considerably less energy and protein than recommended and showed postnatal growth failure. Nutrient intakes were independent predictors of growth even after adjusting for severity of illness. These findings suggest that optimized energy and macronutrient intakes may prevent early growth failure in these infants