Preterm Kids and Their Habits at Two Years

Parents of babies born before 28 weeks were asked about their children’s eating, activity, screen use and sleep when the kids turned two years old. The questions came from a tool called FLY‑Kids that checks if families meet age‑specific advice. The study looked at 176 children who survived the first months of life, and compared them to a group of Dutch toddlers from the general population. Out of all participants, 115 completed the questionnaire. Results showed that preterm children missed more recommended habits than their peers. On average they fell short of about four items, while the reference group missed just over three. The difference was small but statistically significant.Surprisingly, a higher number of preterm toddlers slept more than the recommended 14 hours. For other habits—like eating balanced meals or limiting screen time—the two groups were similar. Still, over 30% of children in both groups did not meet at least seven of nine guidelines. When parents’ background was examined, families with higher income or a foreign‑born parent reported less satisfaction with how their child’s habits matched the advice. Children who had been diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia tended to follow guidelines better, whereas those who were underweight had more unmet recommendations. These findings suggest that parents of very early babies face extra challenges in meeting healthy lifestyle goals, even though some areas such as sleep may be better than expected. Understanding these patterns can help health professionals tailor support for families with preterm children.