Higher maternal cow-milk intake during pregnancy is associated with higher fetal growth measures and higher birth weight.
The aim of this study was to assess the associations of maternal milk intake ...during pregnancy with body fat measures and cardiometabolic risk factors at the age of 10 y.
In a population-based cohort of Dutch mothers and their children (n = 2466) followed from early pregnancy onwards, we assessed maternal first-trimester milk intake (milk and milk drinks) by food-frequency questionnaire. Maternal milk intake was categorized into 0–0.9, 1–1.9, 2–2.9, 3–3.9, 4–4.9, and ≥5 glasses/d, with 1 glass equivalent to 150 mL milk. For children at the age of 10 y, we calculated BMI and obtained detailed measures of body and organ fat by DXA and MRI. We also measured blood pressure and lipid, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Data were analyzed using linear and logistic regression models.
Compared with children whose mothers consumed 0–0.9 glass of milk/d during their pregnancy, those whose mothers consumed ≥5 glasses of milk/d had a 0.29 SD (95% CI: 0.10, 0.48) higher BMI, 0.27 SD (95% CI: 0.08, 0.47) higher fat mass, 0.26 SD (95% CI: 0.07, 0.46) higher lean mass, 0.30 SD (95% CI: 0.09, 0.50) higher android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio and 0.38 SD (95% CI: 0.09, 0.67) higher abdominal visceral fat mass. After correction for multiple comparisons, groups of maternal milk intake were not associated with pericardial fat mass index, liver fat fraction, blood pressure, or lipid, insulin, or glucose concentrations (P values >0.0125).
Our results suggest that maternal first-trimester milk intake is positively associated with childhood general and abdominal visceral fat mass and lean mass, but not with other cardiometabolic risk factors.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered safe and are frequently used during pregnancy. However, two case-control studies suggested an association between prenatal SSRI exposure ...with childhood autism.
To prospectively determine whether intra-uterine SSSRI exposure is associated with childhood autistic symptoms in a population-based study.
A total of 376 children prenatally exposed to maternal depressive symptoms (no SSRI exposure), 69 children prenatally exposed to SSRIs and 5531 unexposed children were included. Child pervasive developmental and affective problems were assessed by parental report with the Child Behavior Checklist at ages 1.5, 3 and 6. At age 6, we assessed autistic traits using the Social Responsiveness Scale (n = 4264).
Prenatal exposure to maternal depressive symptoms without SSRIs was related to both pervasive developmental (odds ratio (OR) = 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.93) and affective problems (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.15-1.81). Compared with unexposed children, those prenatally exposed to SSRIs also were at higher risk for developing pervasive developmental problems (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.13-3.47), but not for affective problems. Children prenatally exposed to SSRIs also had more autistic traits (B = 0.15, 95% CI 0.08-0.22) compared with those exposed to depressive symptoms only.
Our results suggest an association between prenatal SSRI exposure and autistic traits in children. Prenatal depressive symptoms without SSRI use were also associated with autistic traits, albeit this was weaker and less specific. Long-term drug safety trials are needed before evidence-based recommendations are possible.
Neuroimaging studies of typically developing children and adolescents have provided valuable information on global and regional developmental trajectories of brain development. As these studies ...become larger and population-based, they are generating an intersection between the fields of developmental neuroscience and epidemiology. However, few of these studies have adequately probed the contribution of multiple environmental and genetic factors on brain development. Studies designed to optimally evaluate the role of multiple environmental and genetic factors on brain development require both large sample sizes and the prospective collection of multiple environmental factors. The Generation R Study is a large, prospective, prenatal-cohort study of nearly 10,000 children that began in 2002 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In September of 2009, 6–8 year old children from the Generation R Study were invited to participate in a magnetic resonance imaging component of the study. We provide an overview of the study design and experience for the first 801 children recruited for the neuroimaging component of the study. The protocol includes a 1-h neuropsychological assessment using the NEPSY-II, a mock scanning session, and a neuroimaging session that includes high-resolution structural, diffusion tensor, and resting-state functional MRI sequences. Image quality has been good to excellent in over 80 % of the children to date. The infusion of imaging into the Generation R Study will set the stage for evaluating the role of multiple environmental and genetic factors in both typical and atypical neurodevelopment.
Regular meal consumption is considered an important aspect of a healthy diet. While ample evidence shows social inequalities in breakfast skipping among adolescents, little is known about social ...inequalities in breakfast skipping and skipping of other meals among young school-aged children. Such information is crucial in targeting interventions aimed to promote a healthy diet in children.
We examined data from 4704 ethnically diverse children participating in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Information on family socioeconomic position (SEP), ethnic background, and meal skipping behaviors was assessed by parent-reported questionnaire when the child was 6 years old. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations of family SEP (educational level, household income, employment status, family composition) and ethnic background with meal skipping behaviors, using high SEP children and native Dutch children as reference groups.
Meal skipping prevalence ranged from 3% (dinner) to 11% (lunch). The prevalence of meal skipping was higher among low SEP children and ethnic minority children. Maternal educational level was independently associated with breakfast skipping (low maternal educational level OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.24,3.94). Paternal educational level was independently associated with lunch skipping (low paternal educational level OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.06,2.20) and dinner skipping (mid-high paternal educational level OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.20,0.76). Household income was independently associated with breakfast skipping (low income OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.40,4.22) and dinner skipping (low income OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.22,4.91). In general, ethnic minority children were more likely to skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner compared with native Dutch children. Adjustment for family SEP attenuated the associations of ethnic minority background with meal skipping behaviors considerably.
Low SEP children and ethnic minority children are at an increased risk of breakfast, lunch, and dinner skipping compared with high SEP children and native Dutch children, respectively. Given these inequalities, interventions aimed to promote regular meal consumption, breakfast consumption in particular, should target children from low socioeconomic groups and ethnic minority children. More qualitative research to investigate the pathways underlying social inequalities in children's meal skipping behaviors is warranted.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
To examine the association of breastfeeding with maternal sensitive responsiveness and infant-mother attachment security and disorganization.
We included 675 participants of a prospective cohort ...study. Questionnaires about breastfeeding practices were administered at 2 and 6 months postpartum. At 14 months, maternal sensitive responsiveness was assessed in a 13-minute laboratory procedure using Ainsworth's sensitivity scales, and attachment quality was assessed with the Strange Situation Procedure. Mothers were genotyped for oxytocin receptor genes OXTR rs53576 and OXTR rs2254298. Linear regressions and analyses of covariance adjusted for various background variables were conducted. We tested for mediation and moderation by maternal sensitive responsiveness and maternal oxytocin receptor genotype.
Continuous analyses showed that longer duration of breastfeeding was associated with more maternal sensitive responsiveness (B = 0.11, 95% confidence interval CI 0.02; 0.20, p < .05), more attachment security (B = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.02; 0.46, p < .05), and less attachment disorganization (B = -0.20, 95% CI -0.36; -0.03, p < .05). Duration of breastfeeding was not related to the risk of insecure-avoidant or insecure-resistant versus secure attachment classification, but longer duration of breastfeeding predicted a lower risk of disorganized versus secure attachment classification (n = 151; odds ratio OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99, p = .04). Maternal sensitive responsiveness did not mediate the associations, and maternal oxytocin receptor genotype was not a significant moderator.
Although duration of breastfeeding was not associated with differences in infant-mother attachment classifications, we found subtle positive associations between duration of breastfeeding and sensitive responsiveness, attachment security, and disorganization.
Abstract
Background/objectives
This study analysed the relationship between early childhood socioeconomic status (SES) measured by maternal education and household income and the subsequent ...development of childhood overweight and obesity.
Subjects/methods
Data from seven population-representative prospective child cohorts in six high-income countries: United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada (one national cohort and one from the province of Quebec), USA, Sweden. Children were included at birth or within the first 2 years of life. Pooled estimates relate to a total of
N
= 26,565 included children. Overweight and obesity were defined using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs and measured in late childhood (8–11 years). Risk ratios (RRs) and pooled risk estimates were adjusted for potential confounders (maternal age, ethnicity, child sex). Slope Indexes of Inequality (SII) were estimated to quantify absolute inequality for maternal education and household income.
Results
Prevalence ranged from 15.0% overweight and 2.4% obese in the Swedish cohort to 37.6% overweight and 15.8% obese in the US cohort. Overall, across cohorts, social gradients were observed for risk of obesity for both low maternal education (pooled RR: 2.99, 95% CI: 2.07, 4.31) and low household income (pooled RR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.68, 4.30); between-cohort heterogeneity ranged from negligible to moderate (
p
: 0.300 to < 0.001). The association between RRs of obesity by income was lowest in Sweden than in other cohorts.
Conclusions
There was a social gradient by maternal education on the risk of childhood obesity in all included cohorts. The SES associations measured by income were more heterogeneous and differed between Sweden versus the other national cohorts; these findings may be attributable to policy differences, including preschool policies, maternity leave, a ban on advertising to children, and universal free school meals.
Obesity during pregnancy may be correlated with an adverse nutritional status affecting pregnancy and offspring outcomes. We examined the associations of prepregnancy body mass index and gestational ...weight gain with plasma fatty acid concentrations in mid-pregnancy. This study was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study among 5636 women. We obtained prepregnancy body mass index and maximum weight gain during pregnancy by questionnaires. We measured concentrations of saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-6 PUFA) at a median gestational age of 20.5 (95 % range 17.1-24.9) weeks. We used multivariate linear regression models. As compared to normal weight women, obese women had higher total SFA concentrations difference: 0.10 standard deviation (SD) (95 % Confidence Interval (CI) 0, 0.19) and lower total n-3 PUFA concentrations difference: - 0.11 SD (95 % CI - 0.20, - 0.02). As compared to women with sufficient gestational weight gain, those with excessive gestational weight gain had higher SFA concentrations difference: 0.16 SD (95 % CI 0.08, 0.25), MUFA concentrations difference: 0.16 SD (95 % CI 0.08, 0.24) and n-6 PUFA concentrations difference: 0.12 SD (95 % CI 0.04, 0.21). These results were not materially affected by adjustment for maternal characteristics. Our results suggest that obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy are associated with an adverse fatty acids profile. Further studies are needed to assess causality and direction of the observed associations.
Highlights • Variations in diurnal cortisol rhythm early in life are associated with reported change in internalizing problems in pre-schoolers. • Variations in diurnal cortisol patterns may be a ...cause rather than a consequence of internalizing problems in young children. • Longitudinal studies are important to unravel temporal sequence between diurnal cortisol rhythm and problem behaviour.
Abstract Background The development of the fetal endocannabinoid receptor system may be vulnerable to maternal cannabis use during pregnancy and may produce long-term consequences in children. In ...this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between gestational cannabis use and childhood attention problems and aggressive behavior. Methods Using a large general population birth cohort, we examined the associations between parental prenatal cannabis and tobacco use and childhood behavior problems at 18 months measured using the Child Behavior Checklist in N = 4077 children. Substance use was measured in early pregnancy. Results Linear regression analyses demonstrated that gestational exposure to cannabis is associated with behavioral problems in early childhood but only in girls and only in the area of increased aggressive behavior ( B = 2.02; 95% CI: 0.30–3.73; p = 0.02) and attention problems ( B = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.46–1.62; p < 0.001). Furthermore, this study showed that long-term (but not short term) tobacco exposure was associated with behavioral problems in girls ( B = 1.16; 95% CI: 0.20–2.12; p = 0.02). There was no association between cannabis use of the father and child behavior problems. Conclusions Our results suggest that intrauterine exposure to cannabis is associated with an increased risk for aggressive behavior and attention problems as early as 18 months of age in girls, but not boys. Further research is needed to explore the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and child behavior at later ages. Our data support educating future mothers about the risk to their babies should they smoke cannabis during pregnancy.
Abstract Objectives Effects of maternal and paternal depression on child development are typically evaluated using parental reports of child problems. Yet, parental reports may be biased. Methods In ...a population-based cohort, parents reported lifetime depression ( N = 3,178) and depressive symptoms ( N = 3,131). Child emotional and behavioral problems were assessed at age 6 years by child self-report using the Berkeley Puppet Interview, by mother report using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and at age 3 years by father and mother reported CBCLs. Results Both maternal and paternal depression was associated with more child problems. Associations were of similar strength if child problems were obtained by self-reports. However, if parents reported about their own depression or depressive symptoms and about their child's problems, estimates were generally stronger for associations with the reporting parent's depression as the determinant. For instance, if mothers reported child emotional problems, associations were stronger for maternal ( B = 0.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.19, 0.35) than for paternal lifetime depression ( B = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.21; P -value for difference = 0.02). Conclusion Depression of mothers and fathers affects young children's well-being. However, if parents reported about their own depression and about child problems, associations were inflated. To accurately estimate effects of parental depression, multiple-source data including young children's perspectives must be considered.
PDF
