Lean mass and fat mass accretion between term age and 6 months post-term in growth-restricted preterm infants.

Early growth restriction followed by nutritional intakes that permit accelerated growth may result in adiposity and metabolic disease in later life. This study compared growth, body composition and nutritional intake between term age and 6 months post-term in 83 appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants with growth restriction at term age (AGA GR+), 15 AGA without growth restriction at term age (AGA GR-) and 33 small-for-gestational-age (SGA) preterm infants. AGA GR+ and SGA preterm infants had higher protein intake, higher energy intake and higher gain in weight SDS between term age and 6 months post-term, with similar lean mass (LM) and lower fat mass (FM) at 6 months post-term compared with AGA GR- preterm infants. In conclusion, despite higher energy and protein intake compared with AGA GR- preterm infants during the first 6 months post-term, AGA GR+ and SGA preterm infants restore their LM without excessive FM.