US researchers examined the effects of 5 days of massage therapy on the weight gain and sleep/wake behaviour of hospitalised stable pre-term infants. Massage therapy (body stroking/passive limb movement for three 15-min periods per day) was provided to 16 pre-term neonates (mean gestational age 30.1 weeks; mean birth-weight 1359 g) and their weight gain, formula intake, kilocalories, stooling and sleep/wake behaviour were compared with a group of 16 control infants (mean gestational age 31.1 weeks; mean birth-weight 1421 g). The massage group averaged 53% greater daily weight gain than the control group. The massage group spent less time sleeping at the end of 5 treatment days than the control group and more time in the drowsy state.