Influence of gestational and perinatal factors on body composition of full-term newborns

Relationship between gestational weight gain with fetal body composition and organ volumes in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Dimensional Study: a prospective pregnancy cohort

BACKGROUND

Inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with increased risk of newborn small- and large-for-gestational-age, respectively, and future offspring adiposity. However, the relationship between GWG and three-dimensional (3D) measures of fetal body composition and organ volumes, which may provide greater insight into fetal growth via measurement of soft tissue, remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between trimester-specific GWG and 3D fetal body composition and organ volume measurements.

METHODS

In a diverse, US prospective pregnancy cohort, trimester-specific GWG was calculated as difference between maternal weight at beginning and end of each trimester, and categorized as inadequate, adequate, or excessive, per 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Up to five 3D ultrasound scans were completed across gestation, from which fetal body composition and organ volume measurements were obtained (n = 2675 pregnancies). The associations between trimester-specific GWG categories and 3D fetal body composition and organ volumes were assessed at 15, 29, and 39 weeks.

RESULTS

Excessive compared with adequate GWG, in first and second trimesters was associated with larger abdominal circumference (n = 2430; 1st trimester: 1.29 cm, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.84; 2nd trimester: 2.98 cm, 95% CI: 1.62, 4.34) and abdominal area (n = 2401; 1st trimester: 22.04 mm2, 95% CI: 0.48, 43.60; 2nd trimester: 162.34 mm2, 95% CI: 76.25, 248.44), whereas excessive GWG in the first trimester was associated with larger arm subcutaneous tissue thickness (n = 1921; 0.01 cm, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.01). There was a trend toward increased fetal arm, thigh, kidney, and liver volumes and abdominal subcutaneous tissue, although differences did not reach the level of statistical significance for these structures.

CONCLUSIONS

Excessive GWG was associated with greater fetal size primarily manifested by a pattern of fat accumulation across the fetal arm and abdomen. Future studies should examine whether these fetal changes have functional implications for childhood adiposity and metabolic dysfunction. This trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00912132 and NCT03266198.

Infant body composition at 6 and 24 months: what are the driving factors?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Available evidence on infant body composition is limited. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with body composition at 6 and 24 months.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Multicenter study with data from a 0 to 6-mo cohort (Australia, India and South Africa) and a 3 to 24-mo cohort (Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka). For the 0-6-mo cohort, body composition was assessed by air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) and for the 3-24-month cohort by the deuterium dilution (DD) technique. Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), FM index (FMI), and FFM index (FFMI) were calculated. Independent variables comprised the Gini index of the country, maternal and infant characteristics, and breastfeeding pattern at 3 months. For the 3-24-mo cohort, breastfeeding, and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) at 12 months were also included. Crude and adjusted analyses stratified by sex were conducted by multilevel modelling using mixed models.

RESULTS

At 6 months, every 1 kg increase in birth weight was associated with an increase of 0.716 kg in FFM and 0.582 kg/m2 in FFMI in girls, whereas in boys, the increase was of 0.277 kg in FFM. At 24 months, compared to those weaned before 12 months, girls still breastfed at 12 months presented a decrease of 0.225 kg in FM, 0.645 kg in FFM and 0.459 kg/m2 in FFMI, and in boys the decreases were of 0.467 kg in FM, 0.603 kg in FFM and 0.628 kg/m2 in FFMI.

CONCLUSION

Birth weight and breastfeeding are independent predictors of body composition in early life, irrespective of sex.

Gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This study estimates gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence in Brazil. A systematic review was conducted with articles published between 2010 and 2021 on the PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, SciELO, LILACS and Virtual Health Library databases, as well as gray literature. Data were extracted using a standardized instrument together with the risk of bias assessment tool proposed by Hoy et al. A meta-analysis with robust variance and random effects was developed. Heterogeneity was verified using I2 and publication bias was assessed using funnel plot and Egger's test. Prevalence according to risk of bias, diagnostic criteria and country's regions was determined by subgroup analyses. A total of 32 studies were included, representing 21,942 women. gestational diabetes mellitus pooled prevalence was 14% (95%CI: 11.0; 16.0), considerably higher than estimates from previous studies. Regarding risk of bias, studies with low, medium, and high risk showed a pooled prevalence of 12%, 14% and 14%, respectively. Overall GRADE certainty of evidence rating was low. Most studies used the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) criteria or the adapted IADPSG, showing a pooled prevalence of 15% and 14%, respectively. As for region, the pooled prevalence was higher in the Southeast (14%) and lower in the Central-West (9%). This is the first systematic review to provide evidence on gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence at a national level and to demonstrate considerable heterogeneity among articles and the influence of region, diagnostic criteria and study quality on the referred indicator.

Bioelectrical Impedance in Premature Newborns and Its Relationship with Diet Therapy in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

(1) Background: To estimate resistance, reactance, and phase angle values among moderate preterm infants and their variation according to neonatal and maternal characteristics and nutritional intake. (2) Methods: This was a cohort that evaluated 43 moderate preterm infants using bioelectrical impedance analysis. The study variables included resistance, reactance, and phase angle measurements, in addition to classification of nutritional intake. (3) Results: Mean resistance was 602.0 ± 118.2 Ω, reactance was 57.2 Ω (IQR = 42.6-65.2), and phase angle was 522° (IQR = 4.1-6.6). Lower resistance values were found in the presence of risky pregnancy (532.2 ± 111.9 Ω vs. 650.9 ± 97.9 Ω, p < 0.001) and lower reactance values, in the presence of harmful maternal lifestyle habits at both the first (p = 0.01) and second assessments (p = 0.01). Eight preterm infants were considered to have insufficient nutritional intake (23.5%); 17, sufficient (50.0%) and 9, partially sufficient (26.5%). There was less reactance among preterm infants with insufficient nutritional intake (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The bioelectrical impedance analysis measurements were within the range of values reported in other studies. There was an association between full diet and adequate nutritional intake with higher resistance values, while a lower reactance value was associated with the presence of risky pregnancy and harmful maternal lifestyle.

Association between prepregnancy and newborn body mass index

Abstract Objectives: to investigate the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and newborns’ (NB) BMI. Methods: cohort study with 1,365 pregnant women and their newborns from the BRISA survey (Brazilian Ribeirão Preto and São Luís Birth Cohort Studies) in São Luís-MA. Prepregnancy BMI was self-reported, and newborns’ BMI was estimated using the weight and length measured at birth. A directed acyclic graph (DAG) was developed to identify the adjustment variables. The association between the prepregnancy BMI and newborns’ BMI were analyzed using multiple linear and Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. Results: NBs had 13.4±1.7kg/m2 average BMI at birth. In the linear analysis, we observed that as the prepregnancy BMI increases, the NBs BMI also increases (ß=0.07; CI95%=0.05–0.09;p<0.001). Newborns of mothers with prepregnancy overweight were 3.58 times more likely to be overweight. Conclusion: prepregnancy BMI can affect newborn’s BMI early. Thus, women planning to become pregnant should consider conducting nutritional planning to maintain or obtain a healthy weight to minimize the risk of overweight for the newborn.

Predicting of excess body fat in children

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Approximately 370 million children and adolescents worldwide showed overweight or obesity in 2016. The risk of developing severe comorbidities depends on the age of onset and the duration of obesity. This review discusses available methodologies to detect excess body fat in children as well as the early life factors that predict excess body fat and its development.

RECENT FINDINGS

Factors, such as parental nutritional status, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, maternal malnutrition, maternal smoking during pregnancy, low and high birth weight, rapid weight gain, and short infant sleep duration have been independently and positively associated with neonatal, infant, and children adiposity. Early detection of excess body fat in children through the use of various tools is the first step in preventing nutrition-related diseases in adulthood.

SUMMARY

The early detection of excess body fat and the implementation of efficient interventions to normalize the weight of children and adolescents at obesity risk are essential to prevent diseases in adult life.

Weight/length ratio references and newborn body composition estimation at birth from a Brazilian cohort

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to calculate weight/length (W/L) ratio values and percentiles by sex and gestational age (GA) to estimate fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat percentage (BF%) as well as to compare these indices in preterm, small (SGA), and large (LGA) for GA, stunted and wasted infants from a Brazilian cohort of newborns, comparing with the INTERGROWTH-21st.

METHODS

Secondary, cross-sectional analysis of data obtained of 7427 live-born infants from the BRISA Cohort Study in the city of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil in 2010. For body composition estimation, W/L ratio was used in multiple regression models. The 3rd, 50th, and 97th percentiles for W/L ratio and body composition measures (FM, FFM, and BF%) were calculated using fractional polynomial regression models.

RESULTS

Average W/L ratio was 6.50 kg/m (SD 0.87), while for FM, BF%, and FFM the corresponding values were 359.64 g (145.76), 10.90% (3.05) and 2798.84 g (414.84), respectively. SGA (< 3rd percentile), and wasted infants showed the lowest W/L ratios and measures of body composition. The 3rd, 50th, and 97th percentiles charts of W/L, FM, BF%, and FFM by GA and sex are presented.

CONCLUSIONS

W/L ratio values of the RP-BRISA Cohort are higher than IG-21st. SGA (< 3rd) and wasted infants showed the lowest W/L ratio and measures of body composition. The body composition references presented here could be used to refine the nutritional assessment of Brazilian newborns and to facilitate comparisons across populations.

Determinants of Infant Adiposity across the First 6 Months of Life: Evidence from the Baby-bod study

Excess adiposity in infancy may predispose individuals to obesity later in life. The literature on determinants of adiposity in infants is equivocal. In this longitudinal cohort study, we investigated pre-pregnancy, prenatal and postnatal determinants of different adiposity indices in infants, i.e., fat mass (FM), percent FM (%FM), fat mass index (FMI) and log-log index (FM/FFM^p), from birth to 6 months, using linear mixed-effects regression. Body composition was measured in 322, 174 and 109 infants at birth and 3 and 6 months afterwards, respectively, utilising air displacement plethysmography. Positive associations were observed between gestation length and infant FM, maternal self-reported pre-pregnancy body mass index and infant %FM, and parity and infant %FM and FMI at birth. Surprisingly, maternal intake of iron supplements during pregnancy was associated with infant FM, %FM and FMI at 3 months and FM/FFM^p at 6 months. Male infant sex and formula feeding were negatively associated with all adiposity indices at 6 months. In conclusion, pre-pregnancy and pregnancy factors influence adiposity during early life, and any unfavourable impacts may be modulated postnatally via infant feeding practices. Moreover, as these associations are dependent on the adiposity indices used, it is crucial that researchers use conceptually and statistically robust approaches such as FM/FFM^p.