TY - JOUR
T1 - Infant growth and body composition from birth to 24 months
T2 - are infants developing the same?
AU - Multi-center Infant Body Composition Reference Study (MIBCRS)
AU - Norris, Shane A.
AU - Nyati, Lukhanyo H.
AU - Murphy-Alford, Alexia
AU - Lucas, Nishani
AU - Santos, Ina S.
AU - Costa, Caroline S.
AU - Kuriyan, Rebecca
AU - Wickranasinghe, V. Pujitha
AU - Ariff, Shabina
AU - Jayasinghe, Sisitha
AU - Kurpad, Anura V.
AU - Ismail, Leila Cheikh
AU - Hills, Andrew P.
AU - Yameen, Ayesha
AU - Valle, Neiva C.J.
AU - Street, Steven J.
AU - Soofi, Sajid
AU - Slater, Christine
AU - Senerath, Upul
AU - Moktar, Najat
AU - Loechl, Cornelia
AU - Lanerolle, Pulani
AU - Herath, Manoja P.
AU - Hanley, Anne
AU - Divya, Priscilla J.
AU - Christian, Michele P.
AU - Charania, Laila
AU - Byrne, Nuala M.
AU - Bielemann, Renata M.
AU - Beckett, Jeff M.
AU - Ahuja, Kiran D.K.
AU - Ahmad, Tanvir
AU - Ismail, Leila C.
AU - Murphy-Alford, Alexia J.
AU - Norris, Shane
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Background: Given the importance of infancy for establishing growth trajectories, with later-life health consequences, we investigated longitudinal body composition among infants from six economically and ethnically diverse countries. Methods: We recruited mother-infant dyads using the WHO Multicenter Growth Reference Study criteria. We measured fat-free mass (FFM) in 1393 (49% female) infants from birth to 6 months of age (Australia, India, and South Africa; n = 468), 3–24 months of age (Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka; n = 925), and derived fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-length (WHZ) Z-scores were computed. Sex differences were assessed using a t-test, and country differences using a one-way analysis of covariance. We further compared subsamples of children with average (−0.25 > HAZ < +0.25), below-average (≤−0.25) and above-average (≥+0.25) HAZ. Results: HAZ performed well between 0 and 6 months, but less so between 3 and 24 months. The stunting prevalence peaked at 10.3% for boys and 7.8% for girls, at 24 months. By 24 months, girls had greater FMI (10%) than boys. There were significant differences in FFM (both sexes in all countries) and FM (Brazilian boys, Pakistani and South African girls) by 24 months of age between infants with average, above-average, and below-average HAZ. Conclusion: In a multi-country sample representing more ideal maternal conditions, body composition was heterogeneous even among infants who exhibited ideal length. Having a mean HAZ close to the median of the WHO standard for length reduced FFM between-country heterogeneity but not FM, suggesting that other factors may influence adiposity.
AB - Background: Given the importance of infancy for establishing growth trajectories, with later-life health consequences, we investigated longitudinal body composition among infants from six economically and ethnically diverse countries. Methods: We recruited mother-infant dyads using the WHO Multicenter Growth Reference Study criteria. We measured fat-free mass (FFM) in 1393 (49% female) infants from birth to 6 months of age (Australia, India, and South Africa; n = 468), 3–24 months of age (Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka; n = 925), and derived fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-length (WHZ) Z-scores were computed. Sex differences were assessed using a t-test, and country differences using a one-way analysis of covariance. We further compared subsamples of children with average (−0.25 > HAZ < +0.25), below-average (≤−0.25) and above-average (≥+0.25) HAZ. Results: HAZ performed well between 0 and 6 months, but less so between 3 and 24 months. The stunting prevalence peaked at 10.3% for boys and 7.8% for girls, at 24 months. By 24 months, girls had greater FMI (10%) than boys. There were significant differences in FFM (both sexes in all countries) and FM (Brazilian boys, Pakistani and South African girls) by 24 months of age between infants with average, above-average, and below-average HAZ. Conclusion: In a multi-country sample representing more ideal maternal conditions, body composition was heterogeneous even among infants who exhibited ideal length. Having a mean HAZ close to the median of the WHO standard for length reduced FFM between-country heterogeneity but not FM, suggesting that other factors may influence adiposity.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85181242346&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41430-023-01386-5
DO - 10.1038/s41430-023-01386-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85181242346
SN - 0954-3007
VL - 78
SP - 952
EP - 962
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 11
ER -