NutriBrain: protocol for a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a nutritional product on brain integrity in preterm infants.

Background: The gut microbiota and the brain are connected through different mechanisms. Bacterial colonisation of the gut plays a substantial role in normal brain development, providing opportunities for nutritional neuroprotective interventions that target the gut microbiome. Preterm infants are at risk for brain injury, especially white matter injury, mediated by inflammation and infection.

A priori and a posteriori derived dietary patterns in infancy and cardiometabolic health in childhood: The role of body composition.

Background & Aims: Cardiometabolic risk has its origins in early life. However, it is unclear whether diet during early childhood is associated with cardiometabolic health, and what the role is of obesity. We aimed to study whether overall diet during early childhood is associated with cardiometabolic health and to examine if difference in body composition explain this association.

Plasma fatty acid patterns during pregnancy and child's growth, body composition, and cardiometabolic health: The Generation R Study.

Background: Exposure to different concentrations of fatty acids during fetal life may affect growth and metabolism. However, most studies examined individual fatty acids, whereas concentrations highly correlate and may interact with each other. We aimed to evaluate patterns of plasma fatty acids during pregnancy and their associations with growth, body composition, and cardiometabolic health of the 6-year-old offspring.

25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations during fetal life and bone health in children aged 6 years: a population-based prospective cohort study.

Background: 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations during fetal life might have long-lasting effects on skeletal development, but results from previous studies are inconsistent. We investigated the associations of maternal and fetal 25(OH)D concentrations with childhood bone health.

Methods: In a prospective multiethnic population-based cohort study, embedded within the Generation R Study (Rotterdam, Netherlands), pregnant women living in the study area with an expected delivery date between April 1, 2002, and Jan 1, 2006, were eligible for participation in the study at our research centre in the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital.

The Influence of Meteorological Factors and Atmospheric Pollutants on the Risk of Preterm Birth.

Atmospheric pollutants and meteorological conditions are suspected to be causes of preterm birth. We aimed to characterize their possible association with the risk of preterm birth (defined as birth occurring before 37 completed gestational weeks). We pooled individual data from 13 birth cohorts in 11 European countries (71,493 births from the period 1994-2011, European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE)).

25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, asthma and eczema in childhood: The generation R study.

Background & Aims: A role of vitamin D in the development of respiratory and allergic disease in children remains unclear. It may be likely that vitamin D has an effect on airway inflammation, but only few studies examined the effect in children. We aimed to examine whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D) concentrations are associated with the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), airway interrupter resistance (Rint), physician diagnosed asthma ever, wheezing and eczema in a population-based cohort study in 6 year old children.

Dietary Intake of Protein in Early Childhood Is Associated with Growth Trajectories between 1 and 9 Years of Age.

Background: High protein intake in infancy might lead to a higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood. However, whether these associations differ between different sources of protein is unclear.

Objective: We investigated associations between the intake of total protein, protein from different sources, and individual amino acids in early childhood and repeatedly measured height, weight, and BMI up to the age of 9 y.

A priori and a posteriori dietary patterns at the age of 1 year and body composition at the age of 6 years: the Generation R Study.

Dietary patterns have been linked to obesity in adults, however, not much is known about this association in early childhood. We examined associations of different types of dietary patterns in 1-year-old children with body composition at school age in 2026 children participating in a population-based cohort study. Dietary intake at the age of 1 year was assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire.

Maternal weight status, diet, and supplement use as determinants of breastfeeding and complementary feeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Infant feeding practices are influenced by maternal factors.

Objective: The aim of this review is to examine the associations between maternal weight status or dietary characteristics and breastfeeding or complementary feeding.

Data Sources: A systematic literature search of the Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was performed.

Macronutrient Intakes in Infancy Are Associated with Sleep Duration in Toddlerhood.

Background: Dietary composition has been associated with sleep indexes. However, most of the evidence is based on cross-sectional data, and studies in young children are lacking.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the longitudinal associations of macronutrient composition of the diet with sleep duration and consolidation (number of awakenings) in infancy and early childhood.

Associations of breast-feeding patterns and introduction of solid foods with childhood bone mass: The Generation R Study.

Breast-feeding has been associated with later bone health, but results from previous studies are inconsistent. We examined the associations of breast-feeding patterns and timing of introduction of solids with bone mass at the age of 6 years in a prospective cohort study among 4919 children. We collected information about duration and exclusiveness of breast-feeding and timing of introduction of any solids with postnatal questionnaires.

Dietary acid load in early life and bone health in childhood: the Generation R Study.

Background: Dietary contribution to acid-base balance in early life may influence subsequent bone mineralization. Previous studies reported inconsistent results regarding the associations between dietary acid load and bone mass.

Objective: We examined the associations of dietary acid load in early life with bone health in childhood.

Identification of a dietary pattern prospectively associated with bone mass in Australian young adults.

Background: Relatively little is known about the relations between dietary patterns and bone health in adolescence, which is a period of substantial bone mass accrual.

Objectives: We derived dietary patterns that were hypothesized to be related to bone health on the basis of their protein, calcium, and potassium contents and investigated their prospective associations with bone mineral density (BMD), bone area, and bone mineral content (BMC) in a cohort of young adults.

Design: The study included 1024 young adults born to mothers who were participating in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study.

Consumption of meat is associated with higher fasting glucose and insulin concentrations regardless of glucose and insulin genetic risk scores: a meta-analysis of 50,345 Caucasians.

Background: Recent studies suggest that meat intake is associated with diabetes-related phenotypes. However, whether the associations of meat intake and glucose and insulin homeostasis are modified by genes related to glucose and insulin is unknown.

Objective: We investigated the associations of meat intake and the interaction of meat with genotype on fasting glucose and insulin concentrations in Caucasians free of diabetes mellitus.

Protein intake in early childhood and cardiometabolic health at school age: the Generation R Study.

Purpose: High protein intake in infancy has been linked to obesity. We aimed to examine the associations of protein intake in early childhood with cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes at school age.

Methods: This study was performed in 2965 children participating in a population-based prospective cohort study.

Dietary Intakes of Folic Acid and Methionine in Early Childhood Are Associated with Body Composition at School Age.

Background: Deficiency of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folate, folic acid, or methionine may lead to dysregulation of DNA methylation, which might lead to disturbed energy and lipid metabolism.

Objective: We aimed to explore whether intakes of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folate, folic acid, and methionine at 1 y are associated with measures of growth and body composition at the age of 6 y.

Methods: This study was performed in 2922 children participating in The Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study.

Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and status during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood on cardiometabolic health: A systematic review.

The importance of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake in fetal life and infancy has been widely studied in relation to child cognitive and visual development, but whether early life PUFA exposure is related to cardiometabolic risk factors is unclear. The focus of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of PUFA dietary intake and blood levels during pregnancy, lactation, or early childhood (⩽5 y) on obesity, blood pressure, blood lipids, and insulin sensitivity. We identified 4302 abstracts in the databases Embase, Medline and Cochrane Central (April 2014), of which 56 articles, reporting on 45 unique studies, met all selection criteria.

First-trimester maternal protein intake and childhood kidney outcomes: the Generation R Study.

Background: Nutritional exposures during in utero development may have long-lasting consequences for postnatal renal health. Animal studies suggest that specifically maternal dietary protein intake during pregnancy influences childhood kidney function.

Objective: We examined the associations of total, animal, and vegetable maternal protein intake during pregnancy with kidney volume and function in school-aged children.

Protein intake in infancy and kidney size and function at the age of 6 years: The Generation R Study.

Background: High protein intake has been linked to kidney growth and function. Whether protein intake is related to kidney outcomes in healthy children is unclear.

Methods: We examined the associations between protein intake in infancy and kidney outcomes at age 6 years in 2968 children participating in a population-based cohort study.

Vitamin D deficiency in school-age children is associated with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

Background: There is concern about a reemergence of vitamin D deficiency in children in developed countries.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to describe vitamin D status in the Generation R study, a large multiethnic cohort of 6-y-old children in The Netherlands, and to examine sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary determinants of vitamin D deficiency.

Methods: We measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in 4167 children aged 6 y and defined deficiency following recommended cutoffs.

Socioeconomic status is positively associated with measures of adiposity and insulin resistance, but inversely associated with dyslipidaemia in Colombian children.

Background: Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases in developed societies, but investigation of SES and cardiometabolic risk in children in less economically developed populations is sparse. We aimed to examine associations among SES and cardiometabolic risk factors in Colombian children.

Methods: We used data from a population-based study of 1282 children aged 6-10 years from Bucaramanga, Colombia.

The development of a diet quality score for preschool children and its validation and determinants in the Generation R Study.

Background: Although many studies have examined health effects of infant feeding, studies on diet quality shortly after the weaning and lactation period are scarce.

Objectives: Our aims were to develop and evaluate a diet score that measures overall diet quality in preschool children and to examine the sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of this score.

Methods: On the basis of national and international dietary guidelines for young children, we developed a diet score containing 10 components: intake of vegetables; fruit; bread and cereals; rice, pasta, potatoes, and legumes; dairy; meat and eggs; fish; oils and fats; candy and snacks; and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Effects of protein intake on blood pressure, insulin sensitivity and blood lipids in children: a systematic review.

High protein intake in early childhood is associated with obesity, suggesting possible adverse effects on other cardiometabolic outcomes. However, studies in adults have suggested beneficial effects of protein intake on blood pressure (BP) and lipid profile. Whether dietary protein intake is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health in children is unclear.

Adherence to a healthy diet according to the World Health Organization guidelines and all-cause mortality in elderly adults from Europe and the United States.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has formulated guidelines for a healthy diet to prevent chronic diseases and postpone death worldwide. Our objective was to investigate the association between the WHO guidelines, measured using the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), and all-cause mortality in elderly men and women from Europe and the United States. We analyzed data from 396,391 participants (42% women) in 11 prospective cohort studies who were 60 years of age or older at enrollment (in 1988-2005).

Ambient air pollution and low birthweight: a European cohort study (ESCAPE).

Background: Ambient air pollution has been associated with restricted fetal growth, which is linked with adverse respiratory health in childhood. We assessed the effect of maternal exposure to low concentrations of ambient air pollution on birthweight.

Methods: We pooled data from 14 population-based mother-child cohort studies in 12 European countries.