Publications by authors named "Oken E"
Background: Menstrual cycle characteristics are potential indicators of hormonal exposures and may also signal cardiovascular disease risk factors, both of which are relevant to cognitive health. However, there is scarce epidemiological evidence on the association between cycle characteristics and cognitive function.
Objectives: We studied the associations of menstrual cycle characteristics at three stages of a woman's reproductive lifespan with cognitive function in midlife.
Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in adults, but its impact on children remains less understood. This study analyzed data from 457 children (mean age: 7.9 years) in the Project Viva cohort (2007-2010, eastern Massachusetts, USA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may impact ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis, but whether prenatal exposure may impact offspring reproductive health is unknown. This study examines the extent to which maternal PFAS plasma concentrations during pregnancy are associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and related characteristics in female offspring.
Methods: We studied 322 mother-daughter pairs in Project Viva, a Boston-area longitudinal pre-birth cohort enrolled 1999-2002.
Prevalence of autism diagnosis has historically differed by demographic factors. Using data from 8224 participants drawn from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, we examined relationships between demographic factors and parent-reported autism-related traits as captured by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS; T score > 65) and compared these to relations with parent-reported clinician diagnosis of ASD, in generalized linear mixed effects regression analyses. Results suggested lower odds of autism diagnosis, but not of SRS T > 65, for non-Hispanic Black children (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Reproductive history may help identify women at higher risk for experiencing menopausal symptoms. We hypothesized that gestation length and offspring birthweight for gestational age z-scores would be associated with menopausal symptoms and age at natural menopause in midlife among women in a longitudinal prebirth cohort.
Methods: Among 691 women enrolled in pregnancy and followed to midlife, we examined associations of gestation length and offspring birthweight for gestational age z-score at the index pregnancy with total menopausal symptoms assessed with the 11-item Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) using linear regression models, with individual menopausal symptoms using binomial regression models with a log link function, and with age at natural menopause using Cox proportional hazards models.
Importance: The American Heart Association put forth the Life's Essential 8 construct to assess cardiovascular health (CVH) based on 8 behavioral and health factors. Few studies have characterized the natural history of CVH in early life or identified its sociodemographic determinants.
Objective: To characterize CVH trajectories across childhood and adolescence and identify associations with sociodemographic variables.
Background: PFAS may impair bone health, but effects of PFAS exposure assessed during pregnancy and the perimenopause-life stages marked by rapidly changing bone metabolism-on later life bone health are unknown.
Methods: We studied 531 women in the Boston-area Project Viva cohort. We used multivariable linear, generalized additive, and mixture models to examine associations of plasma PFAS concentrations during early pregnancy [median (IQR) maternal age 32.
Comparison of Race-neutral Versus Race-specific Spirometry Equations for Evaluation of Child Asthma.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
December 2024
Rationale: Race-based estimates of pulmonary function in children could influence the evaluation of asthma in children from racial and ethnic minoritized backgrounds.
Objectives: To determine if race-neutral (GLI-Global) versus race-specific (GLI-Race-Specific) reference equations differentially impact spirometry evaluation of childhood asthma.
Methods: The analysis included 8,719 children aged 5 to <12 years from 27 cohorts across the United States grouped by parent-reported race and ethnicity.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the relationship between green space and childhood obesity by using advanced metrics like NDVI and street-view imagery, rather than solely relying on BMI.
- Participants were assessed from mid-childhood through late adolescence to analyze how green space exposure relates to various measures of adiposity, including BMI and fat mass index.
- The research aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how green environments may influence children's health outcomes over time, factoring in socio-economic and demographic variables.
Background: Accurately capturing individuals' experiences with greenspace at ground-level can provide valuable insights into their impact on children's health. However, most previous research has relied on coarse satellite-based measurements.
Methods: We utilized CVH and residential address data from Project Viva, a US-based pre-birth cohort, tracking participants from mid-childhood to late adolescence (2007-21).
Article Synopsis
- Limited research exists on how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impact bone mineral density (aBMD) during adolescence and whether factors like physical activity and dairy intake can mitigate these effects.
- A study within the Project Viva cohort analyzed the relationship between PFAS levels in mid-childhood and aBMD Z-scores in early and late adolescence, finding that higher levels of specific PFAS, like PFOA and PFDA, were associated with lower aBMD in females and some males.
- The findings suggest that greater physical activity and dairy consumption may provide some protective effects against the negative impact of PFAS on bone accrual through adolescence.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how prenatal exposure to metals influences kidney function in adolescents, specifically through measuring metal concentrations in the blood during pregnancy and their association with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in teenagers.
- Results showed that higher levels of certain metals like cadmium, chromium, nickel, and vanadium in the first trimester correlated with lower eGFR, but these findings were not statistically significant after accounting for multiple comparisons.
- The research emphasizes the need for further exploration of how prenatal environmental factors, particularly metal exposure, could impact long-term kidney health and function.
Rationale: Further evaluation of the impact of long-term exposure to the gaseous air pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO) and ozone (O) on child lung function, and of NO or O on eosinophilic airway inflammation, is needed.
Objective: To determine whether NO and O are associated with lung function and FeNO in children.
Methods: We measured lung function (FEV1 and FVC) at mid-childhood (mean age 7.
Article Synopsis
- - Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in regulating gene expression, allowing cells to turn genes on and off, which is essential for maintaining different cell types.
- - Environmental factors like diet and pollutants can alter these epigenetic modifications, meaning that an individual's surroundings can impact gene expression and health outcomes, potentially even affecting future generations.
- - The review discusses how epigenetic changes can be passed down through generations, examines the mechanisms behind these changes, and emphasizes the importance of considering environmental health for both current and future populations.
Background: Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry reference data designate Black and non-Black categories, as higher BMD has been documented among Black youth. We examined associations of race, skin tone, and genetic factors with bone mineral density (BMD).
Methods: 557 adolescents were followed longitudinally.
Context: Concentration of circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) predicts short-term (3-5 years) bone loss around menopause. Whether AMH during mid-reproductive years predicts bone health over a decade later is unknown.
Objective: To study the association of AMH levels in mid-reproductive years with bone density and turnover biomarkers measured after ∼14 years of follow-up.
Article Synopsis
- Low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy have been linked to various health issues in offspring and may affect DNA methylation, a process that influences gene expression.
- The study examined the relationship between maternal vitamin D insufficiency (defined as less than 75 nmol/L) and DNA methylation patterns in the cord blood of newborns using data from 3738 mother-child pairs across seven cohorts.
- Despite a significant prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among the mothers (ranging from 44.3% to 78.5%), the research found no significant association between maternal vitamin D levels and DNA methylation at the analyzed sites after adjusting for various factors.
History of Pregnancy Loss and Risk for Higher Midlife Blood Pressure in Parous Females.
J Womens Health (Larchmt)
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Pregnancy loss may be linked to higher blood pressure (BP) in midlife, based on a study involving participants from the Project Viva cohort who reported their pregnancy history around 18 years after enrollment.
- Of the 623 participants, about 34% experienced pregnancy loss, with results showing that those who had pregnancy loss had a mean increase in systolic BP (SBP), especially among those who lost their first pregnancy after age 35.
- The study suggests that recognizing pregnancy loss is crucial for understanding cardiovascular health risks in women, providing insights for prevention strategies moving forward.
Importance: Limited access to healthy foods, resulting from residence in neighborhoods with low food access, is a public health concern. The contribution of this exposure in early life to child obesity remains uncertain.
Objective: To examine associations of neighborhood food access during pregnancy or early childhood with child body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk.
Article Synopsis
- Infantile colic is when babies cry a lot and might have stomach problems, but it can also just mean they cry a lot without other issues.
- In a study with 1,403 babies, many had either excessive crying or colic, and certain factors like being firstborn or having low birth weight made them more likely to have colic.
- The research shows that colic can be more than just crying; if babies have multiple risk factors, like family history or being born early, they are at a higher risk for colic.
Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to determine whether a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with cognitive function in midlife.
Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of the prospective Nurses' Health Study II. From 1989 to 2001, and then in 2009, participants reported their history of GDM.
Article Synopsis
- Research indicates that exposure to PFAS during pregnancy could increase the risk of developing obesity and related health issues later in life.
- A study involving 547 women showed that higher levels of certain PFAS, like PFOS, in early pregnancy are linked to increased midlife weight and body fat, while others like perfluorononanoate were associated with lower weight.
- The findings suggest that specific PFAS exposures during pregnancy might have different impacts on maternal body fat, potentially affecting long-term heart and metabolic health.
Introduction: Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a biomarker of long-term stress. Higher HCC is associated with higher adiposity in adults; however, associations are not well characterized in adolescents.
Objective: To examine cross-sectional associations of HCC with adiposity in late adolescence.