title: Reduced body size and shape-related symptoms in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight: Helsinki study of very low birth weight adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that being born prematurely with very low birth weight (VLBW) (birth weight<or=1500 g) is associated with subphenotypes of eating disorders (dissatisfaction with body shape and pursuit of thinness) in young adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm-born VLBW subjects (n=163) and controls (n=189) born at term completed 3 subscales of Eating Disorder Inventory-2 questionnaire (EDI): Drive for Thinness, Body Dissatisfaction, and Bulimia. Data were analyzed with multiple linear regression adjusted for confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among both sexes, EDI total scores were lower in VLBW subjects than in controls. The fully adjusted difference was -11.0% (95% CI, -18.4%, -2.2%) for women and -11.2% (95% CI, -20.2%, -1.3%) for men. Among women the lower scores in VLBW adults were observed in each EDI subscale. Results were similar when adjusted also for fat percentage, measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Of the covariates, higher body mass index and higher score in Beck Depression Inventory contributed significantly to a higher EDI total score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young adults, particularly women, born prematurely with VLBW have fewer body size and shape-related symptoms and possibly lower risk for eating disorders than their term-born peers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. karoliina.wehkalampi@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Karoliina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wehkalampi
authors.forename: Petteri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hovi
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strang-Karlsson
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
authors.forename: Anu-Katriina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: Outi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mäkitie
authors.forename: Anna-Liisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Järvenpää
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Sture
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image; D049628:Body Size; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult