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.