Overnutrition in Adolescents Born Preterm

Abstract

Introduction: Children born preterm are at higher risk of overnutrition in adolescence, which is manifested by increased body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age) and increased abdominal fat mass leading to the risk of noncommunicable chronic diseases. Objectives: The aim of this research was to study how prematurity influences overnutrition in a cohort of adolescents born preterm. Methods: The study included 91 adolescents born preterm (ABP) from a cohort and a control group of 91 adolescents born at term (ABT). Body mass index and fat mass were determined for all the subjects. Results: The follow-up of BMI-for-age of the children born preterm showed that the highest proportion of overnutrition was found in the first year (65%) and in adolescence (33%). At this age, no differences were found between the ABP and ABT. Body fat of the ABP was higher than for the ABT (p ≤ 0.01). Both groups’ waist circumference was higher than the normal value at this age. The ratio between BMI and the percentage of fat between ABT and ABP boys was significant at p=0.003. Conclusions: Both ABP and ABT groups had excess weight, which could be due to the fact they grew up in the same environment that promotes unhealthy lifestyles. The ABP boys had excess fat mass leading to the risk of noncommunicable chronic diseases in adulthood.