The associations of preterm birth and low birth weight with childhood growth curves between birth and 12 years: a SITAR-based longitudinal analysis

Children born preterm grow differently from those born at term. To compare growth in length/height, weight, and BMI of preterm- and term-born children, grouped by birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA). Longitudinal data of 950 children (birth to 12 years) were collected retrospectively. Growth trajectories were modelled using SITAR (Superimposition by Translation and Rotation) by sex, with three groups each for GA and BW. SITAR summarised growth patterns from birth to 12 years and explained 76–79% of height variance, 90–92% for weight, and 72–75% for BMI. Early preterm and low BW groups were shorter, lighter and thinner on average than their term or normal BW peers, with late preterm and low-normal BW groups intermediate. Effects were larger for BW than GA, e.g. early preterm girls/boys were 0.3/0.8 kg lighter, 0.9/0.9 cm shorter and 0.8/0.8 kg/m² thinner, while low BW girls/boys were 0.5/1.0 kg lighter, 1.5/1.4 cm shorter and 0.8/0.9 kg/m² thinner. Moreover, faster growth rates were associated with lower BW. Both BW and GA significantly impacted growth, but low BW more so than early preterm birth. This underscores the need for targeted interventions for low BW children to address potential long-term growth challenges.