A daily physical activity programme increased the rate of weight gain and bone mass in preterm very low birth weight infants.(Brief Article)

QUESTION: Is a daily physical activity programme effective in increasing body weight and bone mass in preterm very low birthweight infants?

Design

Randomised (unclear allocation concealment), blinded (unclear), controlled trial with a mean follow up of 25 days.

Setting

A newborn intensive care unit in a university hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Patients

32 healthy preterm infants (53% boys) who had birth weights between 800 and 1600 g (mean 1271 g), gestational age between 26 and 32 weeks (mean 30 wks), appropriate body size, were tolerating enteral feedings at [greater than or equal to] 110 kcal/kg of body weight/day, and were not on medications other than appropriate vitamin …