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Body adiposity and oral feeding outcomes in infants: a pilot study

Journal of Perinatology volume 41, pages 1059–1064 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Prevalence of oral feeding difficulties in high-risk infants is increasing. Desire to take orally can be influenced by hunger and satiety, which may influence growth and body fat.

Objective

To determine the association between body adiposity and infant oral feeding.

Methods

Retrospective case–control study of infants ≥37-week postmenstrual age (PMA). Infants on tube feeding (cases) compared to birth gestation-matched infants on full oral feeding (controls). Body composition was determined by air displacement plethysmography.

Results

Overall, 16 cases vs. 16 controls. At study, cases vs. controls had similar PMA, weight and length z-scores, and calorie intake. The mean oral intake was significantly less in cases vs. controls (66 vs. 168 ml/kg/day, p < 0.001). Cases had significantly higher percentage of fat mass (18.7 vs. 10.9) and fat-mass z-score (1.62 vs. 0.08) (p < 0.05), but similar fat-free mass vs. controls. Five case infants required gastrostomy.

Conclusions

Higher body adiposity may worsen the infant oral feeding outcomes.

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Fig. 1: The scatter plot figure showing the inverse relationship between % fat-mass and oral intake.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Nemours Children’s Hospital, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA

    Sreekanth Viswanathan

  2. Innovative Infant Feeding Disorders Research Program, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA

    Sreekanth Viswanathan, Erika Osborn & Sudarshan Jadcherla

  3. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA

    Erika Osborn & Sudarshan Jadcherla

Authors
  1. Sreekanth Viswanathan
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  3. Sudarshan Jadcherla
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Correspondence to Sreekanth Viswanathan.

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SV is the guarantor of the article. All authors declare no potential competing conflicts of interests.

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Viswanathan, S., Osborn, E. & Jadcherla, S. Body adiposity and oral feeding outcomes in infants: a pilot study. J Perinatol 41, 1059–1064 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-00975-1

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