Exposure to natural environments during pregnancy and birth outcomes in 11 European birth cohorts.

Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth.

Diet quality at age 5-6 and cardiovascular outcomes in preadolescents.

Background & Aims: Specific dietary components during childhood may affect risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Whether overall higher diet quality prevents children from adverse cardiovascular outcomes remains contradictive. We aimed to examine the associations between diet quality at age 5-6 years and cardiovascular outcomes after a 6-year follow-up.

Disadvantaged neighborhoods, birth weight, and problem behavior in five- and six-year-old pre-school children: Evidence from a cohort born in Amsterdam.

Rationale: Low birth weight has been found to increase the problem behavior of children. Yet, little attention has been given to adequately account for the impact of the child's neighborhood on this relation. The residential neighborhood is a choice, based on factors that are usually not observed that may also influence birth weight and problem behavior.

Association between pre-pregnancy weight status and maternal micronutrient status in early pregnancy.

Objective: Inadequate maternal micronutrient status during pregnancy can lead to short- and long-term health risks for mother and offspring. The present study investigated the association between pre-pregnancy weight status and micronutrient status during pregnancy.

Design: Maternal blood samples were collected during early pregnancy (median 13, interquartile range 12-15 weeks) and were assayed for serum folate, ferritin, Fe and vitamin B12.

The association of birth weight and infant growth with childhood autonomic nervous system activity and its mediating effects on energy-balance-related behaviours-the ABCD study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of birth weight and infant growth with childhood autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and to assess whether ANS activity mediates the associations of birth weight and infant growth with energy-balance-related behaviours, including energy intake, satiety response, physical activity and screen time.

Methods: In 2089 children, we prospectively collected birth weight, infant growth defined as conditional weight and height gain between birth and 12 months and-at 5 years-indices of cardiac ANS activity and parent-reported energy-balance-related behaviours. A mediation analysis was conducted, based on MacKinnon's multivariate extension of the product-of-coefficients strategy.

Maternal occupation during pregnancy, birth weight, and length of gestation: combined analysis of 13 European birth cohorts.

Objectives: We assessed whether maternal employment during pregnancy - overall and in selected occupational sectors - is associated with birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery in a population-based birth cohort design.

Methods: We used data from >200 000 mother-child pairs enrolled in 13 European birth cohorts and compared employed versus non-employed women. Among employees, we defined groups of occupations representing the main sectors of employment for women where potential reproductive hazards are considered to be present.

Maternal n-3, n-6, and trans fatty acid profile early in pregnancy and term birth weight: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Maternal n-3, n-6, and trans fatty acids are claimed to affect fetal growth, yet evidence is limited.

Objective: We investigated the association between maternal n-3, n-6, and trans fatty acids measured early in pregnancy and fetal growth.

Design: Amsterdam pregnant women (n = 12 373) were invited to complete a questionnaire (response 67%) and donate blood around the 12th pregnancy week for nutrient analysis.