Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion Are Related to Catch-Up Growth in Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants at Age 1 Year: Results from a Prospective Cohort

Strong associations between low birth weight and insulin resistance have been described. However, most of these studies have been retrospective. We aimed to determine whether infants born small for gestational age (SGA: birth weight 10th percentile) at 1 yr of age. We studied blood lipids, fasting insulin levels, other markers of insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion during an iv glucose tolerance test in a cohort of 85 SGA and 23 AGA 1-yr-old infants. In addition, SGA infants were stratified according to catch-up growth (CUG) in weight (WCUG) or length (LCUG) during the first year of life. At 1 yr, SGA infants had a clear tendency to higher triglycerides. Fasting insulin was significantly higher in SGA infants with WCUG, compared with those who did not catch up and AGA infants (mean ± sem, 32.6 ± 4.6 vs. 14.9 ± 2.3 vs. 21.4 ± 3.3 pm, respectively; P < 0.05). Leng...