Geocultural differences in pre-schooler sleep profiles and family practices: an analysis of pooled data from 37 countries.

Study Objectives: To examine 1) multidimensional sleep profiles in pre-schoolers (3-6 years) across geocultural regions and 2) differences in sleep characteristics and family practices between Majority World regions (Pacific Islands, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America) and the Minority World (the Western world).

Methods: Participants were 3507 pre-schoolers from 37 countries. Nighttime sleep characteristics and nap duration (accelerometer: n=1950) and family practices (parental questionnaire) were measured.

Compromised Nutritional Status as a Risk Factor for the Incidence of Nosocomial Infections.

Background Poor nutritional status may lead to longer hospital stays, increased mortality and morbidity, increased cost, and higher suffering. Nosocomial infections (NI) are a global health concern, and several risk factors are associated with their higher incidence. This study aimed to reveal that compromised nutritional status is one of the risk factors for developing NIs.

The voices of children on movement behaviours: implications for promoting international guidelines to support obesity-prevention efforts.

Background: As a key factor for the prevention of childhood obesity, WHO recommends a specific balance of movement behaviours (ie, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep) across the 24-h day for children younger than 5 years. Substantial evidence underpins our understanding of the benefits for healthy growth and development; however, little is known about young children's experiences and perceptions, and whether context-specific factors that might influence movement behaviours differ across the globe.

Methods: Acknowledging children's agency as knowledgeable informants on matters affecting their lives, children aged 3-5 years from communities and preschools in urban and rural Australia, Chile, China, India, Morocco, and South Africa, were interviewed.

Gains in body mass and body water in pregnancy and relationships to birth weight of offspring in rural and urban Pune, India.

Maternal size, weight gain in pregnancy, fetal gender, environment and gestational age are known determinants of birth weight. It is not clear which component of maternal weight or gained weight during pregnancy influences birth weight. We evaluated the association of maternal total body water measured by the deuterium dilution technique (TBW-DO) at 17 and 34 weeks of gestation with birth weight.

Cross-sectional examination of 24-hour movement behaviours among 3- and 4-year-old children in urban and rural settings in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: the SUNRISE study protocol.

Introduction: 24-hour movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep) during the early years are associated with health and developmental outcomes, prompting the WHO to develop Global guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. Prevalence data on 24-hour movement behaviours is lacking, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper describes the development of the protocol, designed to address this gap.

Efficacy of transdermal delivery of liposomal micronutrients through body oil massage on neurodevelopmental and micronutrient deficiency status in infants: results of a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Micronutrient deficiency is a known cause of adverse neurodevelopment and growth. Poor adherence to oral regimes of micronutrient supplements is a known challenge during the implementation of supplementation programs. The present study evaluates the benefits of liposomal encapsulated micronutrient fortified body oils (LMF oil) that can be used for infant body massage in terms of neurodevelopment and prevention of deficiency.

Conducting community-based pediatric research in rural India: Experience from vadu rural health program.

This paper describes unique challenges faced during conduct of community research studies in rural population of Maharashtra at Vadu Rural Health Program, Pune, India. Some of the ethical issues faced include difficulty in comprehending the informed consent by rural families with low education levels and ensuring adequate compensation for study participation without undue inducement, ensuring large number of recruitments during early infancy, ensuring adherence to intervention by care-providers, retention of participants especially in studies having long follow-ups and regulatory compliance for serious adverse event reports are major operational challenges. The delays faced in approvals from the Health Ministry Screening Committee and lack of specific regulatory guidance on community-based conduct of studies pose challenges in terms of study timelines and operational aspect of these studies.

Efficacy of B Fortified Nutrient Bar and Yogurt in Improving Plasma B12 Concentrations-Results From 2 Double-Blind Randomized Placebo Controlled Trials.

Background: Dietary vitamin B (B) deficiency is common in Indians. Long-term compliance to tablet supplementation is poor in asymptomatic individuals.

Objective: To study efficacy of B fortified nutrient bar and yogurt in improving plasma B concentrations in children and adults.

Global effect of COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep among 3- to 5-year-old children: a longitudinal study of 14 countries.

Background: The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children's daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children's movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development and Implementation of Liposomal Encapsulated Micronutrient Fortified Body Oil Intervention for Infant Massage: An Innovative Concept to Prevent Micronutrient Deficiencies in Children.

Indian communities have the ancient cultural practice of gentle oil massage for infants which has been shown to play a beneficial role in neuro-motor development. The concept of incorporating nanosized liposomes of micronutrients (i.e.

Do components of adult height predict body composition and cardiometabolic risk in a young adult South Asian Indian population? Findings from a hospital-based cohort study in Pune, India: Pune Children's Study.

Objectives: We investigated whether the relationship between components of height and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk may be explained by body composition. We also examined relationships between parental heights and offspring CVD risk.

Design: A cohort study using cross-sectional data.

Birth weight, childhood and adolescent growth and diabetes risk factors in 21-year-old Asian Indians: the Pune Children's Study.

Our objective was to investigate associations of body size (birth weight and body mass index (BMI)) and growth in height, body fat (adiposity) and lean mass during childhood and adolescence, with risk markers for diabetes in young South Asian adults. We studied 357 men and women aged 21 years from the Pune Children's Study birth cohort. Exposures were 1) birth weight, 21-year BMI, both of these mutually adjusted, and their interaction, and 2) uncorrelated conditional measures of growth in height and proxies for gain in adiposity and lean mass from birth to 8 years (childhood) and 8 to 21 years (adolescence) constructed from birth weight, and weight, height, and skinfolds at 8 and 21 years.

Gut, oral and skin microbiome of Indian patrilineal families reveal perceptible association with age.

The human microbiome plays a key role in maintaining host homeostasis and is influenced by age, geography, diet, and other factors. Traditionally, India has an established convention of extended family arrangements wherein three or more generations, bound by genetic relatedness, stay in the same household. In the present study, we have utilized this unique family arrangement to understand the association of age with the microbiome.

Sitting height percentiles in 3-17-year-old Indian children: a multicentre study.

Sitting height (StH) percentiles are not described for the Indian paediatric population. To generate multicentre StH percentile values for Indian children. A total of 7961 apparently healthy children (3-17 years old, Boys: 4328) randomly selected from 10 schools from six states of India were measured for height (ht), StH and weight during July 2016-October 2017.

IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations at 2 years: associations with anthropometry and milk consumption in an Indian cohort.

Background/objectives: To ascertain associations between plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) and their molar ratio at 2 y with neonatal size, infant growth, body composition at 2 y, and feeding practices in an Indian cohort.

Subjects/methods: A cohort of 209 newborns, with 122 followed at 2 y. Anthropometry was conducted at birth and 2 y.

The Pune Rural Intervention in Young Adolescents (PRIYA) study: design and methods of a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The Pune Maternal Nutrition Study (PMNS) was established to prospectively study the relationship of maternal nutrition to fetal growth and later cardiometabolic risk in the offspring. High homocysteine and low vitamin B12 levels in pregnancy predicted lower birthweight and higher insulin resistance at 6 years in the offspring. B12 deficiency was widespread in this population, due to low dietary intake.

Molecular Characterization and Meta-Analysis of Gut Microbial Communities Illustrate Enrichment of Prevotella and Megasphaera in Indian Subjects.

The gut microbiome has varied impact on the wellbeing of humans. It is influenced by different factors such as age, dietary habits, socio-economic status, geographic location, and genetic makeup of individuals. For devising microbiome-based therapies, it is crucial to identify population specific features of the gut microbiome.

Higher glucose, insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in childhood predict adverse cardiovascular risk in early adulthood: the Pune Children's Study.

Aims/hypothesis: The Pune Children's Study aimed to test whether glucose and insulin measurements in childhood predict cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood.

Methods: We followed up 357 participants (75% follow-up) at 21 years of age who had undergone detailed measurements at 8 years of age (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and other indices). Oral glucose tolerance, anthropometry, plasma lipids, BP, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured at 21 years.

Associations of trunk fat depots with insulin resistance, β cell function and glycaemia--a multiple technique study.

Objective: Central (truncal) adiposity is associated strongly with insulin resistance and diabetes. There are very few reports comparing methods of trunk fat measurement in their ability to predict glycaemia and insulin resistance. We report a comparative analysis of different trunk fat measurements in predicting glycaemia and insulin resistance in middle aged Indian men.

Iodine status during pregnancy in India and related neonatal and infant outcomes.

Objective: To document iodine status in Indian pregnancies, associations with maternal diet and demographics, and offspring developmental measures.

Design: Longitudinal study following mothers through pregnancy and offspring up to 24 months.

Setting: Rural health-care centre (Vadu) and urban antenatal clinic (Pune) in the Maharashtra region of India.