title: Nutritional support of very low birth weight newborns.
abstract: Nutritional support to promote optimal postnatal growth for very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns less than 1500 g at birth during the initial prolonged hospitalization is a significant issue. This article reviews the concepts involved in the nutritional support of VLBW newborns, including definitions and discussions of growth, optimal postnatal growth, body composition, initial weight loss, growth expectations, growth assessment tools used during the postnatal period, the relation between inadequate nutrition and neurodevelopment, the relation between protein intake and cognitive outcome, postnatal nutrition balance, the potential for programming of future adult-onset chronic conditions, a review of fetal nutritional intake, and current recommendations for nutritional support of VLBW newborns.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA. ditzeg@pediatrics.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ditzenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005865:Gestational Age; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D012016:Reference Values; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins