Association between perinatal factors, genetic susceptibility to obesity and age at adiposity rebound in children of the EDEN mother–child cohort

Abstract: Background: Early adiposity rebound (AR) has been associated with increased risk of overweight or obesity in adulthood. However, little is known about early predictors of age at AR. We aimed to study the role of perinatal factors and genetic susceptibility to obesity in the kinetics of AR. Methods: Body mass index (BMI) curves were modelled by using mixed-effects cubic models, and age at AR was estimated for 1415 children of the EDEN mother–child cohort study. A combined obesity risk-allele score was calculated from genotypes for 27 variants identified by genome-wide association studies of adult BMI. Perinatal factors of interest were maternal age at delivery, parental education, parental BMI, gestational weight gain, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and newborn characteristics (sex, prematurity, and birth weight). We used a hierarchical level approach with multivariable linear regression model to investigate the association between these factors, obesity risk-allele score, and age at AR. Results: A higher genetic susceptibility to obesity score was associated with an earlier age at AR. At the most distal level of the hierarchical model, maternal and paternal educational levels were positively associated with age at AR. Children born to parents with higher BMI were more likely to exhibit earlier age at AR. In addition, higher gestational weight gain was related to earlier age at AR. For children born small for gestational age, the average age at AR was 88 [±39] days lower than for children born appropriate for gestational age and 91 [±56] days lower than for children born large for gestational age. Conclusion: The timing of AR seems to be an early childhood manifestation of the genetic susceptibility to adult obesity. We further identified low birth weight and gestational weight gain as novel predictors of early AR, highlighting the role of the intrauterine environment in the kinetics of adiposity

A metabolic trade-off impacting childhood language development and body growth

Publié sur PsyArXiv le 14 novembre 2023International audienceDuring human childhood, brain development and body growth compete for limited metabolic resources, resulting in a trade-off where energy allocated to brain development can decrease as body growth accelerates. This preregistered study explores the potential links between language skills, used as a proxy for brain development, and body mass index at 3 distinct developmental stages, serving as proxies for body growth. Analyzing longitudinal data from 2002 children in the EDEN mother-child cohort using structural equation modeling, we identified a compelling pattern of associations: girls with a delayed adiposity rebound, signaling slower growth rate, demonstrated better language proficiency at ages 5-6. Importantly, this correlation appears specific to language skills and does not extend to non-verbal cognitive abilities. Exploratory analyses show that early environmental factors that contribute to enhanced cognitive development, such as higher parental socio-economic status and higher levels of cognitive stimulation, are positively linked to both language skills and the age at which adiposity rebound occurs in girls. Overall, our findings lend support to the existence of an energy allocation trade-off mechanism that appears to prioritize language function over body growth investment, in girls

A metabolic trade-off impacting childhood language development and body growth

During human childhood, brain development and body growth compete for limited metabolic resources, resulting in a trade-off where energy allocated to brain development can decrease as body growth accelerates. This preregistered study explores the potential links between language skills, used as a proxy for brain development, and body mass index at 3 distinct developmental stages, serving as proxies for body growth. Analyzing longitudinal data from 2002 children in the EDEN mother-child cohort using structural equation modeling, we identified a compelling pattern of associations: girls with a delayed adiposity rebound, signaling slower growth rate, demonstrated better language proficiency at ages 5-6. Importantly, this correlation appears specific to language skills and does not extend to non-verbal cognitive abilities. Exploratory analyses show that early environmental factors that contribute to enhanced cognitive development, such as higher parental socio-economic status and higher levels of cognitive stimulation, are positively linked to both language skills and the age at which adiposity rebound occurs in girls. Overall, our findings lend support to the existence of an energy allocation trade-off mechanism that appears to prioritize language function over body growth investment, in girls

BodyLang

Is language development related to patterns of body growth? Data from the EDEN mother-child cohor

Prospective associations between dietary patterns, screen and outdoor play times at 2 years and age at adiposity rebound: The EDEN mother-child cohort

International audienceAlthough an early adiposity rebound (AR) is an established risk factor for later obesity, little is known regarding its determinants, especially modifiable ones. Using data from the French EDEN mother-child cohort (1903 children born in 2003-2006), we aimed to examine the association between diet and activity-related behaviors at 2 years of age and the timing of the AR. Two-year-old children (n = 1138) with parent-reported data on their foods/drinks intake, TV/DVD watching time, outdoor playtime, and with an estimated (via growth modelling) age at AR were included in the present study. Two dietary patterns, labelled 'Nutrient-dense foods' and 'Processed and fast foods', were identified in a previous study. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between dietary patterns and activity-related behaviors and, respectively, the age at AR (continuous) and the likelihood of having a very early AR (before 3.6 years for girls and 3.8 years for boys, i.e., below the 10th percentile of sex-specific distribution). A higher score on the 'Processed and fast foods' dietary pattern was associated with a higher likelihood of having a very early AR (OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.50). No significant association was observed between the 'Nutrient-dense foods' dietary pattern, TV/DVD watching and outdoor playing times and the timing of the AR. This finding emphasizes the importance of reducing nutrient-dense and processed foods from the early years of life, and provides further support for early interventions aimed at helping parents establish healthy eating habits for their growing child from the complementary period