Relationship between birth weight, early growth rate and body composition in 5 to 7-year-old children

Background: Programming of body composition during intrauterine growth may contribute to the higher risk for cardio-metabolic disease in individuals born small or large for gestational age (SGA, LGA). Compensations of intrauterine growth by catch-up or catch-down postnatal growth may lead to adverse consequences like a thin-fat phenotype. Methods: The impact of (i) birth weight as well as (ii) the interaction between birth weight and catch-up or catch-down growth during the first two years of life on fat free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI) in 3204 5-7-year-old children was investigated using Hattori`s body composition chart. Body composition results were compared to appropriate for gestational age birth weight (AGA) with the same BMI. Results: 299 children at age 5-7 years were categorized as SGA, 2583 as AGA and 322 as LGA. When compared to AGA-children, BMI at 5-7-years of age was higher in LGA-children (15.5 kg/m ² vs. 16.2 kg/m²; p
Source: Obesity Facts - Category: Eating Disorders & Weight Management Source Type: research