title: Longitudinal body composition data in exclusively breast-fed infants: a multicenter study.
abstract: Reference %fat and total fat-free mass data is necessary for evaluating growth in infants. We aimed to develop longitudinal %fat and total fat-free mass data in infants from birth to 6 months of age. An observational, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted with assessments at birth, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months of age. Subjects were exclusively breast-fed and were enrolled at three centers. Whole-body composition (i.e., % fat and total fat-free mass) were assessed using air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) (PEA POD; Life Measurement, Concord, CA). Maternal prepregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and infant anthropometric data were collected. A total of 160 infants (boys = 84) were assessed from birth to 4 months of age. Mean birth weight was 3.46 ± 0.39 kg % fat and fat-free mass significantly increased from birth to 4 months of age (P < 0.0001). Gender-specific %fat and total fat-free mass curves for infants from birth to 4 months of age were created. This study will be beneficial to health-care professionals in evaluating normal growth and nutritional patterns in the first months of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Children's Medical Research Institute, Diabetes and Metabolic Research Program, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. dfields@ouhsc.edu
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.forename: Paola M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Roggero
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000254:growth & development; D001724:Birth Weight; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010993:Plethysmography, Whole Body; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014481:United States; D015430:Weight Gain