Skeletal muscle plays major roles in metabolism and overall health across the lifecycle. Emerging evidence indicates that prenatal (maternal diet during pregnancy and genetic defects) and postnatal ...factors (physical activity, hormones, dietary protein, and obesity) influence muscle mass acquisition and strength early in life. As a consequence, low muscle mass and strength contributes to several adverse health outcomes during childhood. Specifically, studies demonstrated inverse associations of muscle mass and strength to single and clustered metabolic risk factors. The literature also consistently reports that low muscle mass and strength are associated with reduced bone parameters during growth, increasing the risk of osteoporosis in old age. Furthermore, muscle mass gains are associated with improved neurodevelopment in the first years of life. Given these negative implications of low muscle mass and strength on health, it is crucial to track muscle mass and strength development from childhood to adolescence. Several body composition techniques are currently available for estimation of muscle mass, all with unique advantages and disadvantages. The value of ultrasound as a technique to measure muscle mass is emerging in pediatric research with potential for translating the research findings to clinical settings. For the assessment of muscle strength, the handgrip strength test has been widely employed but without a standardized protocol. Although further research is needed to define normative data and cut points for the low muscle mass and strength phenotype, the use of such non-invasive medical monitoring is a promising strategy to identify early abnormalities and prevent low muscle mass in adulthood.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. Children with ASD are also at a higher risk for developing ...overweight or obesity than children with typical development (TD). Childhood obesity has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Importantly some key factors that play a mediating role in these higher rates of obesity include lifestyle factors and biological influences, as well as secondary comorbidities and medications. This review summarizes current knowledge about behavioral and lifestyle factors that could contribute to unhealthy weight gain in children with ASD, as well as the current state of knowledge of emerging risk factors such as the possible influence of sleep problems, the gut microbiome, endocrine influences and maternal metabolic disorders. We also discuss some of the clinical implications of these risk factors and areas for future research.
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder that results from lack of expression of paternally-derived genes on chromosome 15q11-13; caused by a deletion (DEL), uniparental disomy (UPD), ...or a rare imprinting center defect. PWS is associated with a distinct behavioral phenotype that in some respects overlaps with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by restricted or repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and social-communication impairment. The goal of this review was to (i) review published literature investigating core ASD symptoms in PWS and (ii) provide a prevalence estimate of ASD in PWS. Two independent reviewers searched Medline, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Embase, and Web of Science to find studies that answered the research questions. Individuals with PWS demonstrate significant levels of RRBs and social-communication impairment, in some reports reaching similar levels to those of non-PWS ASD comparison groups. Individuals with UPD had more social-communication impairment than those with DEL. Of 786 PWS participants, 210 (26.7%) were reported as meeting criteria for ASD, either based on clinical diagnosis or by exceeding clinical cut-points on relevant ASD symptom measures. In studies that distinguished genetic subtypes, rates of ASD were higher in individuals with PWS with UPD (67 of 190; 35.3%) than those with DEL (47 of 254; 18.5%). Published data on the association of PWS and ASD to date are limited to sample means of 8 years of age and older. Further research is needed to identify early markers of ASD in PWS children, to support earlier diagnosis and intervention for this important comorbidity.
The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has received enormous attention during the past three decades as a therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Continuous ...improvement of the pharmacokinetic profile of GLP-1R agonists, starting from native hormone with a half-life of ~2-3 min to the development of twice daily, daily and even once-weekly drugs highlight the pharmaceutical evolution of GLP-1-based medicines. In contrast to GLP-1, the incretin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) received little attention as a pharmacological target, because of conflicting observations that argue activation or inhibition of the GIP receptor (GIPR) provides beneficial effects on systemic metabolism. Interest in GIPR agonism for the treatment of obesity and diabetes was recently propelled by the clinical success of unimolecular dual-agonists targeting the receptors for GIP and GLP-1, with reported significantly improved body weight and glucose control in patients with obesity and type II diabetes. Here we review the biology and pharmacology of GLP-1 and GIP and discuss recent advances in incretin-based pharmacotherapies.
The body composition phenotype of low lean mass (LM) has been associated with metabolic disorders and impaired physical functioning in the pediatric population. Abnormalities in body composition may ...be identified using reference curves; however, no reference data on LM is available for Brazilian adolescents. The purpose of this study was to present reference data, including percentile curves, of whole body LM, lean mass index (LMI), appendicular lean mass (ALM), and fat mass for Southern Brazilian adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study of adolescents aged 12-17 years from a southern region in Brazil, who had body composition assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Percentile values and reference curves employing the Lambda, Mu and Sigma method (LMS) were computed for LM, LMI (lean mass/height2), ALM and fat mass. Data on 541 adolescents (68.6% boys) was included. Sex differences in growth trajectories were observed for absolute and adjusted LM, with boys presenting greater LM quantity with advancing ages than girls (66.9% and 17.4% difference between the ages of 12 and 17 for boys and girls, respectively). The values corresponding to the lowest percentile (3rd) of LMI ranged between 10.63 to 13.93 kg/m2 in boys and 11.13 to 12.03 kg/m2 among girls aged 12-17 years. This study established the first LM, LMI, and ALM reference curves in Southern Brazilian adolescents, which can potentially be used in association with functional measures to identify LM abnormalities during growth.
Bardet-Biedl syndrome is a rare genetic disease associated with hyperphagia and early-onset, severe obesity. There is limited evidence on how hyperphagia and obesity affect health-related quality of ...life in patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and on how management of these symptoms may influence disease burden. This analysis evaluated changes in health-related quality of life in adults and children with Bardet-Biedl syndrome in a Phase 3 trial following 1 year of setmelanotide treatment (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03746522).
Patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome and obesity received 52 weeks of treatment with setmelanotide and completed various self-reported health-related quality of life measures. Patients aged < 18 years or their caregiver completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL; meaningful improvement, 4.4-point change); adults aged ≥ 18 years completed the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lite (IWQOL-Lite; meaningful improvement range, 7.7-12-point change). Descriptive outcomes were reported in patients with data both at active treatment baseline and after 52 weeks of treatment.
Twenty patients (< 18 years, n = 9; ≥ 18 years, n = 11) reported health-related quality of life at baseline and 52 weeks. For children and adolescents, PedsQL score mean change from baseline after 52 weeks was + 11.2; all patients with PedsQL impairment at baseline (n = 4) experienced clinically meaningful improvement. In adults, IWQOL-Lite score mean change from baseline was + 12.0. Of adults with IWQOL-Lite impairment at baseline (n = 8), 62.5% experienced clinically meaningful improvement. In adults, IWQOL-Lite score was significantly correlated with changes in percent body weight (P = 0.0037) and body mass index (P = 0.0098).
After 1 year of setmelanotide, patients reported clinically meaningful improvements across multiple health-related quality of life measures. This study highlights the need to address the impaired health-related quality of life in Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and supports utility of setmelanotide for reducing this burden. Trial Registration NCT03746522. Registered November 19, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03746522 .
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) may play a role in the distribution of body fat and the development of obesity and its complications. Features of individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) ...impacted by PWS molecular genetic classes suggest alterations in ANS function; however, these have been rarely studied and presented with conflicting results. The aim of this study was to investigate if the ANS function is altered in PWS. In this case-control study, we assessed ANS function in 20 subjects with PWS (6 males/14 females; median age 10.5 years) and 27 body mass index (BMI) z-score-matched controls (19 males/8 females; median age 12.8 years). Standardized non-invasive measures of cardiac baroreflex function, heart rate, blood pressure, heart rate variability, quantitative sudomotor axon reflex tests, and a symptom questionnaire were completed. The increase in heart rate in response to head-up tilt testing was blunted (
< 0.01) in PWS compared to controls. Besides a lower heart rate ratio with Valsalva in PWS (
< 0.01), no significant differences were observed in other measures of cardiac function or sweat production. Findings suggest possible altered sympathetic function in PWS.
Single- and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has gained popularity as a tool to assess body composition and health status of children and adolescents, but many questions and ...misconceptions remain. This review addresses pressing issues researchers and health care providers may encounter when using BIA in the young population. The importance of choosing population-specific and device-specific equations to estimate body composition as well as the use of BIA in longitudinal analyses are discussed. When specific equations are not available, raw bioimpedance values (i.e., resistance, reactance, and impedance) can be used to compute bioimpedance parameters, such as phase angle, impedance ratio, and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. As interpreting these parameters is challenging, suggestions are provided on the use of reference data, cut-off points, and adjustment factors. Furthermore, unsolved technical and analytical issues are listed. Based on existing issues and potential for future development, a greater interaction between industry and academic researchers to improve the validity of BIA measurements among children and adolescents across their developmental stages is encouraged.
Introduction
Les déterminants sociaux de la santé peuvent avoir une incidence sur le poids des enfants. Notre objectif était d’étudier les relations entre les déterminants sociaux de la santé et le ...poids des enfants d’âge préscolaire.
Méthodologie
Cette étude de cohorte rétrospective portait sur 169 465 enfants (âgés de 4 à 6 ans) dont les mesures anthropométriques ont été prises lors de rendez-vous de vaccination de 2009 à 2017 à Edmonton et à Calgary (Canada). Les enfants ont été classés par statut pondéral sur la base des critères de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS). Les données sur les mères ont été jumelées aux données sur les enfants. Les indices de défavorisation matérielle et sociale de Pampalon ont été utilisés pour évaluer la défavorisation. Nous avons utilisé une régression logistique multinomiale pour générer des rapports de risque relatif (RRR) afin d’étudier les associations entre, d’une part, le groupe ethnique, le statut d’immigration de la mère, le revenu des ménages du quartier, la résidence en milieu urbain ou rural et la défavorisation matérielle et sociale et, d’autre part, le statut pondéral de l’enfant.
Résultats
Les enfants d’origine chinoise risquaient moins que ceux de la population générale de faire de l’embonpoint (RRR = 0,64, IC à 95 % : 0,61 à 0,69) ou de l’obésité (RRR = 0,51, 0,42 à 0,62). Les enfants d’origine sud-asiatique risquaient plus que ceux de la population générale d’être en situation d’insuffisance pondérale (RRR = 4,14, 3,54 à 4,84) ou d’obésité (RRR = 1,39, 1,22 à 1,60). Les enfants de mère immigrante risquaient moins que les autres à être en situation d’insuffisance pondérale (RRR = 0,72, 0,63 à 0,82) ou d’obésité (RRR = 0,71, 0,66 à 0,77). La probabilité que les enfants fassent de l’embonpoint (RRR = 0,95, 0,94 à 0,95) ou de l’obésité (RRR = 0,88, 0,86 à 0,90) diminuait avec chaque passage à la tranche de revenu de 10 000 $ CA supérieure. Par rapport au quintile le moins défavorisé, les enfants du quintile le plus défavorisé sur le plan matériel risquaient plus de présenter une insuffisance pondérale (RRR = 1,36, 1,13 à 1,62), un surpoids (RRR = 1,52, 1,46 à 1,58) ou de l’obésité (RRR = 2,83, 2,54 à 3,15). Par rapport au quintile le moins défavorisé, les enfants du quintile le plus socialement défavorisé risquaient plus de présenter un surpoids (RRR = 1,21, 1,17 à 1,26) ou de l’obésité (RRR = 1,40, 1,26 à 1,56). Tous les résultats sont significatifs à p $lt; 0,001.
Conclusion
Nos constatations indiquent qu’il est nécessaire de mettre en place des interventions et des politiques qui tiennent compte des déterminants sociaux de la santé chez les enfants d’âge préscolaire afin d’optimiser leur poids et leur santé.
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