Indian Pediatr. 2026 Apr 2. doi: 10.1007/s13312-026-00295-7. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare the body composition of term- versus late-preterm-born children at preschool age.
METHODS: Anthropometry, fat mass (FM), FM%, fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass (FFM), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) using air displacement plethysmography were assessed in 3-5-year-old children from two birth cohorts (term and late-preterm). Only children who were appropriate for gestational age were included. Children with any chronic illness or neurodevelopmental disability were excluded.
RESULTS: Twenty-five term-born and 22 late-preterm-born children were enrolled. Their mean (SD) birth weight, gestational age, and current age were 3.0 (0.2) versus 2.4 (0.3) kg, 38.6 (0.6) versus 35.2 (0.8) weeks, and 47.7 (5.0) versus 45.1 (3.6) months, respectively. At birth, the preterm-born infants had lower FM, FFM, FMI, as well as FFMI compared to term-born infants. Their height-for-age Z-score [-0.9 (-1.7, -0.5) vs. – 1.0 (- 1.7, – 0.4), P = 0.773], body mass index-for-age Z-score [- 0.6 (- 1.3, 0.6) vs. – 0.8 (- 1.3, – 0.0), P = 0.586], FM% [18.6 (9.7) vs. 17.5 (8.4), P = 0.709], and FFMI [12.1 (1.3) vs. 11.9 (1.1) kg/m2, P = 0.645] at 3-5 years were comparable. The change in weight-for-age Z-score from birth to the current age correlated positively with FM% in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the term group, the late-preterm group was smaller in all anthropometric parameters and had lower FMI as well as FFMI at birth; however, the anthropometric parameters and body composition were comparable at preschool age.
PMID:41926048 | DOI:10.1007/s13312-026-00295-7
