A DRD4 gene by maternal sensitivity interaction predicts risk for overweight or obesity in two independent cohorts of preschool children.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that early exposure to low maternal sensitivity is a risk factor for obesity in children and adolescents. A separate line of study shows that the seven-repeat (7R) allele of the dopamine-4 receptor gene (DRD4) increases susceptibility to environmental factors including maternal sensitivity. The current study integrates these lines of work by examining whether preschoolers carrying the 7R allele are more vulnerable to low maternal sensitivity as it relates to overweight/obesity risk.

Low maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age predicts higher BMI in 48 month old girls but not boys.

Background: Large population-based studies suggest that systematic measures of maternal sensitivity predict later risk for overweight and obesity. More work is needed to establish the developmental timing and potential moderators of this association. The current study examined the association between maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age and BMI z score measures at 48 months of age, and whether sex moderated this association.

Novel "thrifty" models of increased eating behaviour.

The thrifty genotype and phenotype hypotheses were developed to explain the rapid increase in diabetes and obesity in developed countries around the world. Most subsequent "thrifty" research has focused on the early developmental origins of the metabolic syndrome and cardio-metabolic disease. The goal of this manuscript is to review an emerging line of research that uses a similar thrifty framework to understand the early developmental origins of eating-related phenotypes that have primary relevance to many psychiatric disorders.

Adequacy of nutritional intake in a Canadian population of patients with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is frequently associated with nutritional deficiencies, often a result of disease activity and poor oral intake. This study investigated the adequacy of dietary intake, based on the Canadian Dietary Reference Intake, in ambulatory patients with Crohn's disease and a normal body mass index (BMI; calculated as kg/m(2)). This was a cross-sectional study of 74 patients with mean age of 35.

Antioxidant vitamin supplementation in Crohn's disease decreases oxidative stress. a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: We showed previously that patients with Crohn's disease (CD) had increased oxidative stress and lower antioxidant vitamins compared with healthy controls. This is despite inactive or mildly active disease and maintenance therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate in these patients the effects of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on oxidative stress.

Malnutrition in institutionalized seniors: the iatrogenic component.

Objectives: To provide practitioners with benchmarks for micronutrient supplementation policies for older residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities, based upon residents' usual energy intake.

Design: Retrospective secondary analysis of nutrient intake and delivery data, obtained from 21 consecutive collection days.

Setting: A fully accredited geriatric teaching facility, affiliated with the University of Toronto's Medical School, that includes a chronic care hospital and a home for the aged, housing more than 800 senior residents.