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Abdominal wall fat index in neonates: correlation with birth size

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2010

J. G. Alves*
Affiliation:
Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
E. Silva
Affiliation:
Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
R. Didier
Affiliation:
Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
M. Bandeira
Affiliation:
Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
F. Bandeira
Affiliation:
Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
*
Address for correspondence: Dr J. G. Alves, Rua dos Coelhos 300, Boa Vista, Recife, Pernambuco 50070550, Brazil. (Email joaoguilherme@imip.org.br)

Abstract

Low birth weight is associated with obesity in later life and a more central fat distribution has a positive correlation with cardiovascular disease. However, the correlation between visceral adiposity in newborns and birth size is unknown. We measured the visceral adiposity in 118 newborns using the abdominal wall fat index (AFI), ratio between the maximum thickness of preperitoneal and the minimum thickness of subcutaneous fat evaluated by ultrasound. There was a weak negative correlation between AFI and birth weight (r = −0.197; P = 0.033) but not with birth length (r = −0.118; P = 0.201), body mass index (r = −0.138; P = 0.176) and abdominal circumference (r = 0.063; P = 0.497). In conclusion, we suggest that AFI is a useful parameter for evaluating the fat distribution in newborns and that visceral adiposity has a weak negative correlation with birth weight.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2010

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