AIM: To describe dietary intake, adipokines and inflammation in infants with low birth weight (LBW) and association with adequacy for gestational age and overweight. 
METHOD: Transversal study, 54 LBW infants (mean birth-weight and gestational-age 2231 grams and 35.9 weeks). Data: pregnancy evaluation; birth (weight and gestational age); current anthropometry (overweight: ZIMC score/age > +1); dietary intake (one nutritional frequency and three 24-hour reminders); leptin, adiponectin, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and us-CRP.
RESULTS: The infant’s mean age was 10.3±1.5 months, 24 (42.9%) were male, 27 (48.2%) twins, 38 (67.9%) preterm and 23 (41.1%) small-for-gestational-age (SGA). All infants had energy intake (118.3 ± 25.5 kcal/kg/day) and protein (5.1 ± 1.5 g/kg/day) above recommended levels; 49 (87.6%) received ultraprocessed foods. Overweight/obese children 10 (17.9%) had lower energy (94.6 ± 8.8 vs 121.8 ± 25.6 kcal/kg, p = 0.005) and protein intake (4.0 ± 1.1 vs 5.4 ± 1.5 g/kg, p = 0.033). However, higher percentage of energy (50.5 ± 20.3% vs 38.9 ± 9.5%, p = 0.012) and protein (43.3 ± 19.9% ​​vs 31.7 ± 11.5%; p = 0.023) from bottles (cow's milk or infant formula), with no differences observed in adipokines and inflammatory markers. SGA infants showed higher leptin`s and lower adiponectin´s concentrations respectively [3.0 pg/mL vs 1.6 pg/mL p = 0.030 and 26.8 μg/mL vs 32.2 µg/mL; p = 0.050].

DIETARY INTAKE, ADIPOCINES AND INFLAMMATION IN INFANTS BORN WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT