Background: Epidemiological studies correlate low birth weight and the subsequent development of diabetes mellitus (DM). Early changes in insulin resistance in infants with catch-up growth (CUG) have not been evaluated in our population.
Aim: To identify dietary and metabolic features associated with CUG in infants born small for gestational age (SGA) at 1 year old.
Methods: In a cohort study of 88 term infants (44 SGA and 44 appropriate for gestational age [AGA]), breastfeeding and weaning age were registered. Anthropometric measurements, glucose, insulin, and leptin concentrations were measured at birth and at 1 year old.
Results: A history of DM in a second-degree relative (p = 0.01) and complementary breastfeeding (p = 0.0003) were higher in SGA compared to AGA infants. Ten (13.6%) infants showed CUG in length and weight combined. They had lower weight, glucose, IR index, and leptin concentrations at birth than those without CUG. After logistic regression analysis for factors related to weight CUG, gender, weaning age, birth weight and leptin concentration at birth were included in the model (R2 = 0.31; p = 0.00004).
Conclusions: Female gender, early weaning, lower birth weight, and lower leptin concentration at birth are related to weight CUG in Mexican infants.