Serial Assessment of Body Fat Accrual in Very Preterm Infants

Serial Assessment of Body Fat Accrual in Very Preterm Infants: A Pilot Randomized Trial

Despite evidence that both rapid weight gain and excessive body fat accrual are associated with overweight and obesity, usual neonatal care of preterm infants does not include assessment of body fat accrual. The study hypothesis is that identification of early changes in infant body composition (i.e. amount of fat mass and fat-free mass) reduces % body fat at 3 months of age.

Infants in the intervention group will have the information about infant body composition known to the clinicians caring for them (including reference data). Infants in the control group will also undergo serial measurements of infant body composition, but this information will not be available to the clinicians.

If parent agrees, stool "dirty" diapers will be collected 2 times (at the time of hospital discharge and at 3 months of corrected age).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Gestational age between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Gastrointestinal or neurologic malformations
• Terminal illness requiring limited or withheld support