Abstract

ROJO-TREJO, María Elena; RANGEL PENICHE, Diana Beatriz; ARELLANO JIMENEZ, María del Rocío  and  SABATH SILVA, Ernesto Francisco. Body composition in children between 8 and 10 years of age, with a history of low birth weight in Querétaro, México. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2016, vol.33, n.3, pp.544-548. ISSN 1699-5198.  https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.259.

Introduction: Low birth weight is a risk factor for the development of obesity in adulthood. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess differences in body composition in 8 to 10-year old, children with or without a history of low birth weight (LBW). Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study. A sample of 112 children were included, 95 with adequate birth weight (ABW) and 17 with a history of LBW. Anthropometric measurements were taken (body height and weight, waist and thigh circumferences, triceps [TSF] and subscapular skinfolds [SESF]). Results: A 41% combined prevalence for overweight and obesity was found in both groups. Total body fat in LBW girls was lower (not significant) than that in the ABW group, however the TSF-SESF index was higher (p = 0.04) in LBW girls than in ABW girls. When stratifying by body fat percentage and body weight history, the LBW group had a lower body fat percentage (p < 0.05) compared with the ABW group, and six times the possibility of having low fat storages at this age. Conclusions: In these children, total fat mass was not higher in the LBW group as expected, although LBW girls tend to deposit more fat at the trunk compared with ABW counterparts. When assessing children, body fat deposition should be taken into account and not only body mass index.

Keywords : Low birth weight; Obesity; Body composition; Grade-school children.

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