Preschool children born moderately preterm have increased waist circumference at two years of age despite low body mass index

• AIM: To investigate the development of waist circumference (WC) in preschool children born preterm compared with a population-based reference.BACKGROUND: Children born preterm are reported to be insulin resistant, despite being lean during early childhood. We hypothesize that the mechanism is through increased visceral adiposity.METHODS: Data from 4446 preschool children (2169 girls/2277 boys) born in 2001-2006 from a population-based study were compared with longitudinal measurements of body mass index (BMI) and WC from a cohort of 152 children (64 girls/88 boys) born moderately preterm in 2002-2004 (gestational age, 32-37 weeks).RESULTS: In the preterm children, the mean WC was 2.8 cm larger compared with the reference group (p < 0.001) at 2 years of age but not at 5 years of age. There was no significant difference in the mean BMI at 2 years of age. The preterm group was significantly leaner at 5 years of age, with a mean BMI of 15.13 compared with 15.98 in the reference group (p < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Children born moderately preterm present as lean during early childhood but have an increased waist circumference in infancy, pointing towards a change in fat distribution with more abdominal fat. This may have implications for their metabolic status.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Metabolic syndrome

Prematurity

Waist circumference

Waist-to-height ratio

Metabolic syndrome; Prematurity; Waist circumference; Waist-to-height ratio

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)