Purpose
This study was conducted to measure adiposity and to investigate related factors in preschoolers born prematurely.
Methods
A longitudinal follow-up study was conducted with 52 preschoolers at 5 years of corrected age among 343 preterm infants. Their adiposity status was evaluated based on measurements of body mass index, subscapular and triceps skin fold thickness (SFT), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and mid-arm circumference at a home visit.
Results
The findings showed that SFT measurements, particularly at the triceps, reflected the degree of adiposity more accurately than other conventional measures. A shorter gestation, older maternal age, and the mother having more years of formal education were associated with higher levels of adiposity in the preschoolers.
Conclusion
The adiposity of children born prematurely needs to be thoroughly monitored with additional SFT measurements, considering the risk of accelerated growth patterns overriding regular catch-up growth in children born prematurely.