Racial differences in growth rates and body composition of infants born preterm.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate racial disparities in weight gain velocity and body composition among preterm infants.

STUDY DESIGN

This observational study analyzed race differences in fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), percent body fat (%BF), and weight gain at discharge of infants born at 25-32 weeks of gestation.

RESULTS

No racial differences in FFM, FM and %BF measurements were found between black and white preterm infants after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age, and the presence/absence of breastfeeding (n = 143). Black infants born preterm had lower birthweights and higher weight gain from birth to discharge in unadjusted and adjusted models (13 ± 3 vs. 11 ± 3 g/kg/day; <0.001).

CONCLUSION

Black infants had higher weight gain from birth to discharge, but comparable body composition measurements at discharge. More research is needed to understand contributing factors and long-term implications of this finding.

© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.