title: The effect of early catch-up growth on health and well-being in young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of catch-up growth in the 1st year on cognition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), problem behavior and growth in young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included individuals without severe complications and born small for gestational age (SGA; n = 228 for weight, n = 203 for length) or with a low head circumference (HC, n = 178) or a low weight adjusted for length (n = 64) in the Collaborative Project on Preterm and SGA Infants. Neonatal growth was standardized (standard deviation scores for gestational age, SDSGA) according to GA-specific reference charts. Catch-up growth was defined as SDSGA at 1 year of age adjusted for SDSGA at birth. Cognition was defined by the Multicultural Capacity Test-Intermediate Level, HRQoL by the London Handicap Scale (LHS) and the Health Utility Index Mark 3 categorized into 4 levels (Multi-Attribute Utility, MAU), and problem behavior by the Young Adult Self-Report. We adjusted for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most adults were born preterm (93.7%). A higher catch-up growth in the 1st year was associated with better cognition (B = 2.57, 95% CI 0.08-5.05 for weight), less disabilities according to the LHS (B = 2.06, 95% CI 0.35-3.78 for HC) and the MAU (OR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.95 for HC) and higher final height (B = 0.33, 95% CI 0.18-0.47 for weight; B = 0.41, 95% 0.28-0.55 for length, and B = 0.18, 95% CI 0.04-0.33 for HC) in young adulthood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are long-term benefits of catch-up growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Style, TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Dommelen
authors.forename: Sylvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: van der Pal
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bennebroek Gravenhorst
authors.forename: Frans J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wit
authors.forename: Karin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: van der Pal de Bruin
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult