title: Prematurity is not associated with intra-abdominal adiposity in 5- to 7-year-old children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare body composition and abdominal fat partitioning between 5- to 7-year old children born preterm and born at term. We hypothesized children born preterm to have a higher body fat percentage and higher percentage of intra-abdominal adipose tissue (%IAAT) compared with their peers born at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 236 children aged 5-7 years, ie, 116 children born preterm (gestational age 29.8 ± 2.6 [30; 24-33] weeks [mean ± SD {median; range}]) and 120 children born at term were included. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis and %IAAT by magnetic resonance imaging. Body mass index, skin fold thickness, and waist-to-hip ratio were investigated as further measures of body composition. Dietary records were compared between both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children born preterm were shorter (120 cm vs 123 cm, P < .001), lighter (21.8 kg vs 24.3 kg, P < .001), and had a lower body mass index (15.1 kg/m(2) vs 15.9 kg/m(2), P = .003) compared with controls. There were no differences in %IAAT (n = 154), and body fat mass although energy uptake was higher in preterms (335 kJ/kg/d vs 302 kJ/kg/d, P = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At the age of 5-7 years, children born preterm showed neither increased fat mass nor intra-abdominal adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, Pediatric Center, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Huke
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudloff
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strauch
authors.forename: Lars Daniel
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Berthold
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Landmann
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000503:physiopathology; D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D047928:Premature Birth; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: %IAAT; BIA; BMI; Bioelectrical impedance analysis; Body mass index; IAAT; Intra-abdominal adipose tissue; MRI; Magnetic resonance imaging; Percentage of intra-abdominal adipose tissue; SGA; Small for gestational age; TAAT; Total abdominal adipose tissue