Journal article

Publication year: 2006

Pages: 23-30

Journal: Hormone Research

Volume number: 65

Issue number: 1

ISSN: 0301-0163

eISSN: 1663-2826

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1159/000090376

Publisher: S. Karger AG

Abstract: 
Parents of short children born SGA often report that their children have a serious lack of appetite and a low food intake. In this study we investigated food intake, by using a standardized 7-day food questionnaire, in 88 short SGA children before start of GH treatment. The intake was compared with the recommended daily intake (RDI) of age-matched children. We also compared the food intake of GH-treated children (n = 62) with randomized controls (n = 26) after 1 year of GH treatment. In addition, we evaluated the effect of food intake and GH treatment on body composition and serum levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and leptin. Our study shows that caloric intake, fat and carbohydrate intake of short SGA children aged 5.9 (1.6) years was significantly lower compared to the RDI for age-matched children. One year of GH treatment resulted in a significant increase of caloric, fat, carbohydrate and protein intake compared to baseline. Compared to randomized controls, caloric, carbohydrate and protein intake increased significantly after 1 year of GH treatment. Short SGA children had significantly lower SDS scores for LBM, fat mass, skinfold (SF) and BMI compared to age-matched references. They also had significantly lower serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and leptin levels. GH treatment resulted in a significant increase of height, LBM, BMI, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 SDS and a significant decrease of SF SDS and leptin SDS. In conclusion, our study shows that short SGA children have indeed a lower food intake than age-matched controls. During GH treatment the food intake increased significantly compared to baseline in contrast to the randomized control group.

Harvard Citation style: Boonstra, V., Arends, N., Stijnen, T., Blum, W., Akkerman, O. and Hokken-Koelega, A. (2006) Food intake of children with short stature born small for gestational age before and during a randomized GH trial, Hormone Research, 65(1), pp. 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1159/000090376

APA Citation style: Boonstra, V., Arends, N., Stijnen, T., Blum, W., Akkerman, O., & Hokken-Koelega, A. (2006). Food intake of children with short stature born small for gestational age before and during a randomized GH trial. Hormone Research. 65(1), 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1159/000090376