Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives
In recent years, significant advancements in respiratory and nutritional care have markedly improved the survival rates of preterm infants and enhanced long-term health outcomes. Despite these improvements, emerging research highlights the lasting impacts of early growth patterns on an individual’s...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Sreekanth Viswanathan Melissa Thoene Zaineh Alja’nini Pradeep Alur Kera McNelis |
| author_facet | Sreekanth Viswanathan Melissa Thoene Zaineh Alja’nini Pradeep Alur Kera McNelis |
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| description | In recent years, significant advancements in respiratory and nutritional care have markedly improved the survival rates of preterm infants and enhanced long-term health outcomes. Despite these improvements, emerging research highlights the lasting impacts of early growth patterns on an individual’s health trajectory. Adults born prematurely face a higher incidence of health issues related to their early birth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that preterm infants should achieve growth rates similar to those of fetuses, with clinicians emphasizing nutrition delivery to help these infants reach their expected weight for gestational age. However, this approach often results in altered body composition, characterized by increased fat mass and decreased fat-free mass compared to full-term infants. Air displacement plethysmography stands out as a highly reliable method for measuring preterm body composition, while DEXA scans, despite their reliability, tend to overestimate body fat. Other methods include bioelectric impedance, isotope dilution, MRI, ultrasound, and skinfold thickness, each with its own strengths and limitations. In this paper, we aim to raise awareness among neonatal clinicians about the importance of achieving acceptable neonatal body composition. We discuss the pros and cons of different body composition measurement methods, the impact of nutrition and other factors on body composition in preterm infants, long-term follow-up data, and the potential use of body composition data to tailor nutritional interventions in NICU and post-discharge settings. This comprehensive approach is designed to optimize health outcomes for preterm newborns by focusing on their body composition from an early stage. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f7776b05d72a4b57a1e99ace30e14e63 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-f7776b05d72a4b57a1e99ace30e14e632025-01-24T13:27:08ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672025-01-011215310.3390/children12010053Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging PerspectivesSreekanth Viswanathan0Melissa Thoene1Zaineh Alja’nini2Pradeep Alur3Kera McNelis4Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Nemours Children’s Hospital, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL 32827, USADivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USADivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, MercyKids Children’s Hospital, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Springfield Campus, Springfield, MO 65804, USADivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Hampden Medical Center, Penn State Health, Enola, PA 17025, USADivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USAIn recent years, significant advancements in respiratory and nutritional care have markedly improved the survival rates of preterm infants and enhanced long-term health outcomes. Despite these improvements, emerging research highlights the lasting impacts of early growth patterns on an individual’s health trajectory. Adults born prematurely face a higher incidence of health issues related to their early birth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that preterm infants should achieve growth rates similar to those of fetuses, with clinicians emphasizing nutrition delivery to help these infants reach their expected weight for gestational age. However, this approach often results in altered body composition, characterized by increased fat mass and decreased fat-free mass compared to full-term infants. Air displacement plethysmography stands out as a highly reliable method for measuring preterm body composition, while DEXA scans, despite their reliability, tend to overestimate body fat. Other methods include bioelectric impedance, isotope dilution, MRI, ultrasound, and skinfold thickness, each with its own strengths and limitations. In this paper, we aim to raise awareness among neonatal clinicians about the importance of achieving acceptable neonatal body composition. We discuss the pros and cons of different body composition measurement methods, the impact of nutrition and other factors on body composition in preterm infants, long-term follow-up data, and the potential use of body composition data to tailor nutritional interventions in NICU and post-discharge settings. This comprehensive approach is designed to optimize health outcomes for preterm newborns by focusing on their body composition from an early stage.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/1/53body compositionpreterm infantspostnatal growthanthropometry |
| spellingShingle | Sreekanth Viswanathan Melissa Thoene Zaineh Alja’nini Pradeep Alur Kera McNelis Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives Children body composition preterm infants postnatal growth anthropometry |
| title | Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives |
| title_full | Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives |
| title_short | Body Composition in Preterm Infants: Current Insights and Emerging Perspectives |
| title_sort | body composition in preterm infants current insights and emerging perspectives |
| topic | body composition preterm infants postnatal growth anthropometry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/1/53 |
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