Catch-up growth in low birth weight infants

Catch-up growth (CUG) is a broad term that defines the recovery process of growth in children following a transient period of reduced growth, such as following illness or starvation. Currently, the term is most often used in the context of the upward growth trajectory seen in the initial months of life in babies born low birth weight (LBW) due to prematurity and/or intrauterine growth restriction. CUG decreases the prevalence of undernutrition and infection during early life and improves neurocognitive outcomes in preterm infants. However, the flip side, especially if the catch-up is excessive, can be an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome in later life, and therefore, caution is needed while planning the nutritional strategies for infants born with LBW. In this review, we discuss the current definitions of CUG, benefits, adverse effects and their pathophysiology, and few proposed strategies for monitoring growth in infants born LBW to ensure an optimal CUG.