The prospective associations of fetal growth-related pregnancy complications with subsequent breastfeeding duration and markers of human milk production.

Background: The development of the breast for lactation occurs throughout pregnancy. It is unknown whether pregnancy complications resulting in poor fetal growth can affect breastfeeding (BF) success.

Objectives: We examined whether fetal growth-related pregnancy complications were associated with earlier BF cessation and changes in the concentrations of human milk biomarkers of low milk production.

Dietary pattern trajectories in early childhood and their associations with patterns of maternal feeding practices in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort.

Background: Maternal feeding practices play a major role in children's dietary intakes. However, there is limited data on the associations between trajectories of dietary patterns (DPs) and patterns of maternal feeding practices during early childhood.

Methods: Using data from a multi-ethnic Asian cohort study, namely the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), dietary intakes were measured using Food Frequency Questionnaires in children at 18 months, 5 and 7 years of age.

A longitudinal study of breastmilk feeding duration, EEG power and early academic skills.

Background: The cognitive benefits of breastfeeding are widely recognized; however, its effects on brain development and later academic skills require further examination. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal relations between breastmilk feeding, neurophysiological changes, and early academic skills.

Methods: In the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort, breastmilk feeding practices were collected every 3 months from 3 weeks to 18 months postpartum.

Plasma Glycated Albumin in Early Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective and Longitudinal Study.

Objective: To investigate associations of plasma glycated albumin (GA) concentrations in early and midpregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk.

Research Design And Methods: We measured GA concentrations using blood samples collected at 10-14 and 15-26 weeks' gestation in 107 GDM case and 214 control participants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Growth Study. We performed generalized linear mixed-effect regression to test the mean GA difference between GDM case and control participants and conditional logistic regression to assess prospective associations between GA concentrations and GDM risk.

Healthy dietary patterns are associated with exposure to environmental chemicals in a pregnancy cohort.

Healthy dietary patterns, such as the alternate Mediterranean diet and alternate Healthy Eating Index, benefit cardiometabolic health. However, several food components of these dietary patterns are primary sources of environmental chemicals. Here, using data from a racially and ethnically diverse US cohort, we show that healthy dietary pattern scores were positively associated with plasma chemical exposure in pregnancy, particularly for the alternate Mediterranean diet and alternate Healthy Eating Index with polychlorinated biphenyls and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances.

Maternal and Infant Dietary Patterns Are Not Related to Food Allergy Risk in Singapore Children: GUSTO Cohort Study.

Background: We previously reported that delayed allergenic food introduction in infancy did not increase food allergy risk until age 4 y within our prospective cohort. However, it remains unclear whether other aspects of maternal or infant diet play roles in the development of childhood food allergy.

Objectives: We examined the relationship between maternal pregnancy and infant dietary patterns and the development of food allergies until age 8 y.

Mendelian randomization and transcriptome analysis identified immune-related biomarkers for osteoarthritis.

Background: The immune microenvironment assumes a significant role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the current biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of OA are not satisfactory. Our study aims to identify new OA immune-related biomarkers to direct the prevention and treatment of OA using multi-omics data.

A nutritional supplement during preconception and pregnancy increases human milk vitamin D but not B-vitamin concentrations.

Background & Aims: Optimal maternal vitamin status during pregnancy and lactation is essential to support maternal and infant health. For instance, vitamin D is involved in infant bone development, and B-vitamins are involved in various metabolic processes, including energy production. Through a double-blind randomised controlled trial, we investigated the effects of maternal supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy until birth on human milk (HM) concentrations of vitamin D and B-vitamins.

Metabolomic Biomarkers of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Dietary Patterns in Pregnant Women.

the aim of this study was to identify plasma metabolomic markers of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary patterns in pregnant women. This study included 186 women who had both dietary intake and metabolome measured from a nested case-control study within the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons cohort (FGS). Dietary intakes were ascertained at 8-13 gestational weeks (GW) using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and DASH scores were calculated based on eight food and nutrient components.

A Longitudinal Study of Plasma Glycated Albumin across Pregnancy and Associations with Maternal Characteristics and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers.

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) has recently been proposed as a screening marker for diabetes among non-pregnant individuals. However, data on GA during pregnancy are sparse and lacking among women of diverse race/ethnicity. We investigated longitudinal concentrations of GA among multiracial pregnant women in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons.

A nutritional supplement taken during preconception and pregnancy influences human milk macronutrients in women with overweight/obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus.

Rational: Maternal overweight/obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are associated with an increased risk of their offspring developing overweight/obesity or type 2 diabetes later in life. However, the impacts of maternal overweight/obesity and dysglycemia on human milk (HM) macronutrient composition are not well understood.

Objective: Through a double-blind randomised controlled trial, we investigated the effects of maternal supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy until birth on HM macronutrient concentrations, in association with maternal and infant factors including maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and GDM status.

A Mendelian randomization study for drug repurposing reveals bezafibrate and fenofibric acid as potential osteoporosis treatments.

Lipid pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis (OP). Lipid-lowering drugs may be used to prevent and treat OP. However, the causal interpretation of results from traditional observational designs is controversial by confounding.

Nutrient trajectories during infancy and their associations with childhood neurodevelopment.

Purpose: To examine the associations between infants' dietary nutrient trajectories and subsequent neurodevelopment during childhood in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes study.

Methods: One-day food records were collected at ages 6, 9 and 12 months, whilst Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III and Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2 were conducted at ages 24 and 54 months respectively. Nutrient trajectories were constructed using multi-level mixed modelling and associations with neurodevelopment (24 months: n = 484; 54 months: n = 444) were examined using adjusted multivariable linear regression.

Timing of introduction of complementary foods, breastfeeding, and child cardiometabolic risk: a prospective multiethnic Asian cohort study.

Background: The timing of introduction of complementary foods and the duration of breastfeeding (BF) have been independently associated with child overweight and obesity; however, their combined influence on body fat partitioning and cardiometabolic risk is unclear.

Objective: We investigated the associations of the timing of introduction of complementary foods, the duration of BF, and their interaction with child adiposity and cardiometabolic risk markers.

Methods: We analyzed data from 839 children in the prospective Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort.

A nutritional supplement containing zinc during preconception and pregnancy increases human milk zinc concentrations.

Introduction: During pregnancy and lactation minerals such as zinc are required to support maternal and infant health. Zinc is involved in various cellular processes, with requirements increasing in pregnancy and lactation. In the setting of a randomized trial, we investigated the effects on human milk (HM) zinc concentrations of a micronutrient-containing supplement including zinc in the intervention (but not control) group, started preconception and taken throughout pregnancy until birth.

Plasma Amino Acids in Early Pregnancy and Midpregnancy and Their Interplay With Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Association With the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Results From a Longitudinal Prospective Cohort.

Objective: We prospectively evaluated plasma amino acids (AAs) in early pregnancy and midpregnancy and their interplay with phospholipid fatty acids (FAs) in association with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk.

Research Design And Methods: From a longitudinal pregnancy cohort of 2,802 individuals, concentrations of 24 plasma AAs at 10-14 and 15-26 gestational weeks (GW) were assessed among 107 GDM case subjects and 214 non-GDM control subjects. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for the associations of plasma AAs and the joint associations of plasma AAs and phospholipid FAs with GDM risk, adjusting for risk factors including age, prepregnancy BMI, and family history of diabetes.

Mixed Milk Feeding: A New Approach to Describe Feeding Patterns in the First Year of Life Based on Individual Participant Data from Two Randomised Controlled Trials.

'Mixed Milk Feeding' (MMF), whereby infants are fed with both breastmilk and infant formula during the same period, is a common feeding practice. Despite its high prevalence, knowledge regarding MMF practices and their association with (health) outcomes is limited, potentially because MMF behaviours are highly variable and difficult to standardise longitudinally. In this paper, we applied a statistical clustering algorithm on individual infant feeding data collected over the first year of life from two clinical trials: 'TEMPO' ( = 855) and 'Venus' ( = 539); these studies were conducted in different years and world regions.

Prevalence, risk factors and parental perceptions of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Asian infants in Singapore.

Introduction: Infant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a significant cause of concern to parents. This study seeks to describe GERD prevalence in infants, evaluate possible risk factors and assess common beliefs influencing management of GERD among Asian parents.

Methods: Mother-infant dyads in the Singapore PREconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) cohort were prospectively followed from preconception to 12 months post-delivery.

Breastfeeding may benefit cardiometabolic health of children exposed to increased gestational glycemia in utero.

Purpose: There is altered breastmilk composition among mothers with gestational diabetes and conflicting evidence on whether breastfeeding is beneficial or detrimental to their offspring's cardiometabolic health. We aimed to investigate associations between breastfeeding and offspring's cardiometabolic health across the range of gestational glycemia.

Methods: We included 827 naturally conceived, term singletons from a prospective mother-child cohort.

Trajectories of Systolic Blood Pressure in Children: Risk Factors and Cardiometabolic Correlates.

Objective: To identify systolic blood pressure (SBP) percentile trajectories in children and to describe the early-life risk factors and cardiometabolic correlates of those trajectories.

Study Design: Using age-, sex-, and height-specific SBP percentiles based on the American Academy of Pediatrics reference, we examined SBP trajectories using latent class mixed models from ages 3 to 8 years (n = 844) from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes-study, a Singaporean mother-offspring cohort study. We analyzed associations between SBP trajectories and early-life risk factors using multinomial logistic regression and differences across trajectories in cardiometabolic outcomes using multiple linear regression.

The association of maternal gestational hyperglycemia with breastfeeding duration and markers of milk production.

Background: Previous studies focusing on the association between gestational diabetes and breastfeeding duration have been inconclusive.

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether maternal gestational hyperglycemia is associated with the duration of breastfeeding and the concentrations of markers linked to breastmilk production.

Methods: Data from the prospective, multiethnic Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes study were used to assess the association of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h postglucose challenge (2hPG) measured at 26-28 wk of gestation with duration of breastfeeding and concentrations of protein, lactose, citrate, sodium, potassium, and zinc in breastmilk 3 wk postpartum.

The impact of feeding experiences during infancy on later child eating behaviours.

Purpose Of Review: Individual differences in appetite and eating behaviours appear early in infancy. This review synthesizes recent research investigating the impact of feeding experiences during infancy on later appetite and energy intake regulation, and appraises the consistency and longevity of any effects.

Recent Findings: Three themes of early feeding experiences were identified; breastfeeding, infants' first foods and caregivers' feeding practices.

Breastfeeding Duration and Development of Dysglycemia in Women Who Had Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Evidence from the GUSTO Cohort Study.

(1) Background: Breastfeeding has been shown to support glucose homeostasis in women after a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and is potentially effective at reducing long-term diabetes risk. (2) Methods: Data from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study were analyzed to understand the influence of breastfeeding duration on long-term dysglycemia (prediabetes and diabetes) risk in women who had GDM in the index pregnancy. GDM and dysglycemia four to seven years postpartum were determined by the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).