Publications by authors named "Mari Akerlund"

Background: Prospective longitudinal evidence considering the entire childhood food consumption in relation to the development of islet autoimmunity (IA or) type 1 diabetes is lacking.

Objectives: We studied the associations of consumption of various foods and their combinations with IA and type 1 diabetes risk.

Methods: Children with genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes born in 1996-2004 were followed from birth up to ≤6 y of age in the prospective birth cohort type 1 diabetes prediction and prevention study (n = 5674).

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Background: Prospective studies investigating the association among fruit, berry, and vegetable consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity (IA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) are few.

Objectives: In this cohort study, we explored whether the consumption of fruits, berries, and vegetables is associated with the IA and T1D development in genetically susceptible children.

Methods: Food consumption data in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) cohort study were available from 5674 children born between September 1996 and September 2004 in the Oulu and Tampere University Hospitals.

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Background: Fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to a decreased risk of asthma, but prospective evidence on longitudinal consumption in childhood is scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood and the risk of asthma by the age of 5 years, and to explore the role of processing of fruits and vegetables in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Allergy Study.

Methods: Child's food consumption was assessed by 3-day food records completed at the age of 3 and 6 months, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, and asthma and allergies by a validated modified version of the ISAAC questionnaire at the age of 5 years.

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Objectives: Increased gut permeability and gut inflammation have been linked to the development of type 1 diabetes. Little is known on whether and how intake of different foods is linked to these mechanisms in infancy. We investigated whether the amount of breast milk and intake of other foods are associated with gut inflammation marker concentrations and permeability.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cows' milk allergy (CMA) is a common early allergic condition, potentially influenced by dietary factors during pregnancy.
  • The study examined whether the types of fatty acids consumed by mothers during pregnancy affect the likelihood of their children developing CMA.
  • Results indicated that while most fatty acid intake wasn't linked to CMA risk, higher intake of alpha-linolenic acid correlated with a lower risk of CMA in children of mothers without allergic rhinitis or asthma histories.
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Background: Consumption of unprocessed cow's milk has been associated with a lower risk of childhood asthma and/or atopy. Not much is known about differently processed milk products. We aimed to study the association between the consumption of differently processed milk products and asthma risk in a Finnish birth cohort.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Cows' milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in kids, often linked to other atopic diseases, and may be influenced by factors like maternal diet during pregnancy, though evidence is unclear.
  • - A study explored the link between what pregnant mothers eat, specifically antioxidant nutrients, and the development of CMA in their children by analyzing dietary data from 4,403 children in Finland.
  • - The results indicated that higher maternal intake of β-carotene was associated with a greater risk of CMA in kids, suggesting that taking antioxidant supplements may not offer extra protection beyond a regular diet.
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  • High dietary intake of nitrate and nitrite during pregnancy was studied to see if it affects the risk of type 1 diabetes in children.
  • The study followed 4,879 children in Finland with increased genetic risk for 15 years, monitoring islet autoimmunity and diabetes development.
  • Results showed no significant association between maternal nitrate or nitrite consumption and the risk of islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes in the offspring.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study followed 6081 children at risk for type 1 diabetes to investigate if the processing of cows' milk affects the development of islet autoimmunity.
  • By age 6, 246 children developed islet autoimmunity, with both non-fermented and fermented milk products linked to a higher risk.
  • No specific processing method (like homogenization or heat treatment) was identified as a significant risk factor, reinforcing the idea that high milk consumption could increase islet autoimmunity in genetically susceptible kids.
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Importance: Dietary proteins, such as gluten, have been suggested as triggers of the disease process in type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Objective: To study the associations of cereal, gluten, and dietary fiber intake with the development of islet autoimmunity (IA) and T1D.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The prospective birth cohort Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study recruited children with genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes from September 1996 to September 2004 from 2 university hospitals in Finland and followed up every 3 to 12 months up to 6 years for diet, islet autoantibodies, and T1D.

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Several dietary factors have been suspected to play a role in the development of advanced islet autoimmunity (IA) and/or type 1 diabetes (T1D), but the evidence is fragmentary. A prospective population-based cohort of 6081 Finnish newborn infants with HLA-DQB1-conferred susceptibility to T1D was followed up to 15 years of age. Diabetes-associated autoantibodies and diet were assessed at 3- to 12-month intervals.

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Fruit and vegetable intake has been associated with a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. These foods are the main dietary source of carotenoids. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations between dietary intake and serum concentrations of α- and β-carotene in a sample of young Finnish children from the population-based birth cohort of the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Study.

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