Body composition at birth and height at 2 years: a prospective cohort study among children in Jimma, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight is associated with childhood stunting, but equivalent associations for birth body composition (BC) remain unknown. The aim of this study was to assess associations between birth BC and height-for-age z-score (HAZ) at 2 years of age. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured using air-displacement plethysmography within 48 h of birth. Linear regression models were applied to study the relationship between BC at birth and HAZ at 24 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 268 children with height assessment at 2 years were included. Mean +/- SD HAZ at 2 years of age was -1.2 +/- 1.2, with 25.8% classified as stunted (HAZ < -2SD). FFM at birth was positively associated with HAZ at 2 years, independent of length at birth. When adjusted for potential confounders, HAZ at 2 years was 0.73 higher for each additional kg FFM at birth (beta=0.73, 95% CI: 0.08, 1.38). FM was not associated with HAZ at 2 years in any model. CONCLUSION: The FFM component of birth weight, independent of length at birth, explained variability in HAZ at 2 years. Further studies are required to explore how changes in early infant BC are associated with linear growth.