Critical examination of relationships between early growth and childhood overweight in extremely preterm infants

J Perinatol. 2021 Dec;41(12):2774-2781. doi: 10.1038/s41372-021-01182-8. Epub 2021 Aug 17.

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the prevalence and risk factors for childhood overweight and obesity (OWO) at 3-year corrected age in children born <1500 g <29 weeks gestation.

Study design: A multicentre retrospective cohort study for preterm infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units between 2001 and 2014.

Results: Data were available for 911 (89.4%) of the 1019 infants who met the inclusion criteria. Of them, 22 (2.4%) had OWO. There were no associations between OWO and being small for gestational age (RR = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3-5.4) or weight <10th percentile at 36 weeks (RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.4-2.8). OWO was associated with low maternal education (RR = 7.4, 95% CI: 2.1-26), maternal diabetes (RR = 5.2, 95% CI: 1.9-15) and neonatal brain injury (RR = 4.9, 95% CI: 1.8-14). Adjusting for concurrent child weight at 3 years of age resulted in an overadjustment bias.

Conclusion: Small size at birth or at 36 weeks gestation in extremely preterm infants is not associated with increased risk of early childhood overgrowth or obesity.

Clinical trial registration: NCT03064022.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Extremely Premature*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Small for Gestational Age
  • Pediatric Obesity*
  • Retrospective Studies

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03064022