Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, homocysteine at birth and fatty acid desaturase gene cluster polymorphisms are associated with children’s processing speed up to age 9 years.

Both pre-and early postnatal supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachi-donic acid (AA) and folate have been related to neural development, but their long-term effects on later neural function remain unclear. We evaluated the long-term effects of maternal prenatal supplementation with fish-oil (FO), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), placebo or FO + 5-MTHF, as well as the role of fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene cluster polymorphisms, on their offspring’s processing speed at later school age. This study was conducted in NUHEAL children at 7.5 (n = 143) and 9 years of age (n = 127). Processing speed tasks were assessed using Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Children Color Trails Test (CCTT) and Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, folate and total homocysteine (tHcy) levels were determined at delivery from maternal and cord blood samples. FADS and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677 C > T genetic polymorphisms were analyzed. Mixed models (linear and logistic) were performed. There were significant differences in processing speed performance among children at different ages (p < 0.001). The type of prenatal supplementation had no effect on processing speed in children up to 9 years. Secondary exploratory analyses indicated that children born to mothers with higher AA/DHA ratio at delivery (p < 0.001) and heterozygotes for FADS1 rs174556 (p < 0.05) showed better performance in processing speed at 9 years. Negative associations between processing speed scores and maternal tHcy levels at delivery were found. Our findings suggest speed processing development in children up to 9 years could be related to maternal factors, including AA/DHA and tHcy levels, and their genetic background, mainly FADS polymorphism. These considerations support that maternal prenatal supplementation should be quantitatively adequate and individualized to obtain better brain development and mental performance in the offspring

Epigenome-Wide Meta-analysis Reveals Associations Between Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load and DNA Methylation in Children and Adolescents of Different Body Sizes

OBJECTIVE: Dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are associated with cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents, with potential distinct effects in people with increased BMI. DNA methylation (DNAm) may mediate these effects. Thus, we conducted meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) between dietary GI and GL and blood DNAm of children and adolescents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We calculated dietary GI and GL and performed EWAS in children and adolescents (age range: 4.5-17 years) from six cohorts (N = 1,187). We performed stratified analyses of participants with normal weight (n = 801) or overweight or obesity (n = 386). We performed look-ups for the identified cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites (false discovery rate [FDR] &lt;0.05) with tissue-specific gene expression of 832 blood and 223 subcutaneous adipose tissue samples from children and adolescents. RESULTS: Dietary GL was positively associated with DNAm of cg20274553 (FDR &lt;0.05), annotated to WDR27. Several CpGs were identified in the normal-weight (GI: 85; GL: 17) and overweight or obese (GI: 136; GL: 298; FDR &lt;0.05) strata, and none overlapped between strata. In participants with overweight or obesity, identified CpGs were related to RNA expression of genes associated with impaired metabolism (e.g., FRAT1, CSF3). CONCLUSIONS: We identified 537 associations between dietary GI and GL and blood DNAm, mainly in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. High-GI and/or -GL diets may influence epigenetic gene regulation and thereby promote metabolic derangements in young people with increased BMI.</p

Epigenome–wide Meta–Analysis Reveals Associations between Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load and DNA methylation in Children and Adolescents with Different Body Size

Objective: Dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are associated with cardio–metabolic health in children and adolescents, with potential distinct effects in people with increased body mass index (BMI). DNA methylation (DNAm) may mediate these effects. Thus, we conducted meta–analyses of epigenome–wide association studies (EWASs) between dietary GI and GL and blood DNAm of children and adolescents.Research Design and Methods: We calculated dietary GI and GL and performed EWASs in children and adolescents (age range: 4.5–17 years) from six cohorts (ntotal = 1,187). We performed stratified analyses of participants with normal–weight (ntotal = 801) or overweight/obesity (ntotal = 386). We performed look–ups for the identified cytosine–phosphate–guanine (CpG) sites (false discovery rate (FDR) Results: Dietary GL was positively associated with DNAm of cg20274553 (FDR Conclusions: We identified 537 associations between dietary GI and GL and blood DNAm, mainly in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. High GI and/or GL diets may influence epigenetic gene regulation and thereby, promote metabolic derangements in young persons with increased BMI.</p