Stunting, wasting and breastfeeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children at 6 and 15 months of age

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stunting, wasting and breastfeeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children at 6 and 15 months of age

AU - Skau, Jutta Kloppenborg Heick

AU - Grenov, Benedikte

AU - Chamnan, Chhoun

AU - Mary, Chea

AU - Wieringa, Frank T

AU - Dijkhuizen, Marjoleine A

AU - Ritz, Christian

AU - Wells, Jonathan C

AU - Berger, Jacques

AU - Filteau, Suzanne

AU - Roos, Nanna

AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.

AU - Friis, Henrik

N1 - CURIS 2019 NEXS 063

PY - 2019/3/28

Y1 - 2019/3/28

N2 - The study aimed at assessing stunting, wasting and breast-feeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children. As part of a nutrition trial (ISRCTN19918531), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured using 2H dilution at 6 and 15 months of age. Of 419 infants enrolled, 98 % were breastfed, 15 % stunted and 4 % wasted at 6 months. At 15 months, 78 % were breastfed, 24 % stunted and 11 % wasted. Those not breastfed had lower FMI at 6 months but not at 15 months. Stunted children had lower FM at 6 months and lower FFM at 6 and 15 months compared with children with length-for-age z ≥0. Stunting was not associated with height-adjusted indexes fat mass index (FMI) or fat-free mass index (FFMI). Wasted children had lower FM, FFM, FMI and FFMI at 6 and 15 months compared with children with weight-for-length z (WLZ) ≥0. Generally, FFM and FFMI deficits increased with age, whereas FM and FMI deficits decreased, reflecting interactions between age and WLZ. For example, the FFM deficits were-0·99 (95 % CI-1·26,-0·72) kg at 6 months and-1·44 (95 % CI-1·69;-1·19) kg at 15 months (interaction, P<0·05), while the FMI deficits were-2·12 (95 % CI-2·53,-1·72) kg/m2 at 6 months and-1·32 (95 % CI-1·77,-0·87) kg/m2 at 15 months (interaction, P<0·05). This indicates that undernourished children preserve body fat at the detriment of fat-free tissue, which may have long-term consequences for health and working capacity.

AB - The study aimed at assessing stunting, wasting and breast-feeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children. As part of a nutrition trial (ISRCTN19918531), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured using 2H dilution at 6 and 15 months of age. Of 419 infants enrolled, 98 % were breastfed, 15 % stunted and 4 % wasted at 6 months. At 15 months, 78 % were breastfed, 24 % stunted and 11 % wasted. Those not breastfed had lower FMI at 6 months but not at 15 months. Stunted children had lower FM at 6 months and lower FFM at 6 and 15 months compared with children with length-for-age z ≥0. Stunting was not associated with height-adjusted indexes fat mass index (FMI) or fat-free mass index (FFMI). Wasted children had lower FM, FFM, FMI and FFMI at 6 and 15 months compared with children with weight-for-length z (WLZ) ≥0. Generally, FFM and FFMI deficits increased with age, whereas FM and FMI deficits decreased, reflecting interactions between age and WLZ. For example, the FFM deficits were-0·99 (95 % CI-1·26,-0·72) kg at 6 months and-1·44 (95 % CI-1·69;-1·19) kg at 15 months (interaction, P<0·05), while the FMI deficits were-2·12 (95 % CI-2·53,-1·72) kg/m2 at 6 months and-1·32 (95 % CI-1·77,-0·87) kg/m2 at 15 months (interaction, P<0·05). This indicates that undernourished children preserve body fat at the detriment of fat-free tissue, which may have long-term consequences for health and working capacity.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Body composition

KW - Fat-free mass

KW - Fat mass

KW - Infancy

KW - Childhood

KW - Breastfeeding

KW - Stunting

KW - Wasting

U2 - 10.1017/s0007114518003884

DO - 10.1017/s0007114518003884

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30670108

SN - 0007-1145

VL - 121

SP - 688

EP - 698

JO - British Journal of Nutrition

JF - British Journal of Nutrition

ER -