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Abstract
Background: Preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) remain significant public health concerns worldwide. Objectives: We investigated the nutritional status of preterm and SGA children compared with term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children from birth to 10-11 years. Methods: Children born to women who participated in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial of preconception micronutrient supplementation in Vietnam were classified into three groups: preterm AGA (n = 130), full-term SGA (n = 165) and full-term AGA (n = 1072). Anthropometric data (weight and height) were collected prospectively at birth, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months and at 6-7 and 10-11 years. Results: The mean gestational age was 34.9, 39.5 and 40.5 weeks for preterm, AGA and SGA infants, respectively. The rates of underweight were consistently higher in the SGA group in all periods. Preterm children consistently exhibited a higher rate of underweight compared to AGA children from birth through 6-7 years of age. Compared with AGA children, SGA children had a lower prevalence of overweight/obesity across all stages. Conclusions: Compared with AGA children, SGA children have higher rates of underweight and stunting. While preterm children have higher rates of malnutrition in early life, by adolescence their rates of overweight and obesity exceed those of AGA children.
| Published | 2025-12-31 | |
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| Issue | Vol. 4 No. 5 (2025) | |
| Section | Original article | |
| DOI | 10.66517/jstmp.2025.5.8 | |
| Keywords | Trẻ sinh non, Nhẹ cân so với tuổi thai, Nhẹ cân, Thừa cân/Béo phì, Thấp còi Preterm, Small for gestational age, Underweight, Overweight/Obesity, Stunting |
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