Alimentació precoç i risc d’obesitat

Alimentació precoç; Risc d'obesitat; Nutrició infantilEarly feeding; Risk of obesity; Child nutritionAlimentación precoz; Riesgo de obesidad; Nutrición infantilComunicació que presenta com estímuls metabòlics durant períodes crítics o sensibles del desenvolpament poden tenir conseqüències o efectes a llarg termini sobre l'organisme i la salut posterior

Methodological Approaches for Dietary Intake Assessment in Formula-fed Infants

Background and Objective: The estimation of dietary intake remains a challenge in human nutritional studies. In infants, the use of food diaries (FDs) is a suitable method already validated; however, this method is not exempt from error. In formula-fed infants, dilution of powdered formulas may produce errors. Our aim was to develop and validate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the assessment of dietary intake in formula-fed infants, attending potential sources of error. Methods: We analysed sources of error in a random subsample of 3-day FDs from 100 infants enrolled in the European Childhood Obesity Project. Calculations to estimate intakes were standardised and included in a software tool (SOPsystem). An evaluation of a simulated FD was performed by 9 trained nutritionists and 23 nutrition students (n = 225 and n = 575 bottle evaluations, respectively) to compare the results obtained when using or not the SOPsystem. Correct answers (%), coefficients of variation, and the time spent (minutes) to assess the simulated FD were analysed. Results: Overall, 60% of the FDs contained reports of incorrect volumes, and 37% reported incorrect formula dilutions. When the SOPsystem was used, correct answers in the simulated FD were more frequent (P < 0.001) and the mean coefficient of variation and the time spent were lower (P < 0.005 and P < 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: The development and implementation of SOPs with a software tool that identifies specific sources of error in record-keeping achieved a harmonised and improved process for assessing dietary intakes in formula-fed infants, minimising errors in calculations and reducing the work time invested

¿Cuál es la nutrición que administramos a nuestros recién nacidos de muy bajo peso en las unidades neonatales?: Una encuesta nacional

Background: Significant efforts have been made to improve the nutritional support of very preterm infants. Large surveys may help to know the nutritional practices for preterm infants in neonatal units and identify if they are in line with the current guidelines. Methods: A multicentre nationwide web-based survey on clinical feeding practices in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants was conducted in tertiary neonatal hospitals that admit infants with a birth weight < 1,500 g and/or a gestational age of < 32 weeks. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 53 units (response rate, 59%). Over 90% of the units surveyed start amino-acid administration immediately after birth and more than half use novel intravenous fish oil-based lipid emulsions. Enteral nutrition is started within 24 hours of birth in 65% of units and 86% of these are medium-sized or large. Feeding volumes are increased at a rate of 10-30 ml/kg/day in > 90% of units. Monitoring of serum phosphorus was measured more frequently than albumin (p = 0.009) or triglycerides (p = 0.037), but only 28% of centres regularly measure pre-albumin as a nutritional biomarker. Human milk fortification and iron supplementation, starting at four weeks of age, are almost universal. However, only 30% of units administer 800 IU/day of vitamin D. Nearly 50% of the units discharge infants on preterm formula. Conclusion: Most Spanish neonatology units use early amino-acid supplementation and over half use novel fish oil-based lipid emulsions. Post-discharge nutrition practices and vitamin administration vary greatlyAntecedentes: se han realizado esfuerzos significativos para mejorar la nutrición en los recién nacidos muy prematuros. Las grandes encuestas pueden ayudar a conocer cuál es la nutrición que reciben los recién nacidos prematuros en las unidades neonatales e identificar si están en línea con las directrices actuales. Métodos: se llevó a cabo una encuesta multicéntrica a nivel nacional sobre las prácticas clínicas empleadas en la alimentación en los recién nacidos de muy bajo peso en hospitales de nivel III que ingresan recién nacidos con un peso al nacer < 1.500 g y/o una edad gestacional < 32 semanas. Resultados: el cuestionario fue completado por 53 unidades neonatales (tasa de respuesta del 59%). Más del 90% de las unidades estudiadas inician la administración de aminoácidos inmediatamente después del nacimiento y más de la mitad utilizan nuevas emulsiones lipídicas intravenosas que contienen aceite de pescado. La nutrición enteral se inicia en las primeras 24 horas de nacimiento en el 65% de las unidades y el 86% de ellas son medianas o grandes. El volumen de alimentación aumenta a una velocidad de 10-30 ml/kg/día en > 90% de las unidades. El fósforo sérico se monitoriza con mayor frecuencia que la albúmina (p = 0,009) o los triglicéridos (p = 0,037), pero solo el 28% de los centros miden regularmente la prealbúmina como biomarcador nutricional. La fortificación de la leche humana y la suplementación con hierro, a partir de las cuatro semanas de edad, es casi universal. Sin embargo, solo el 30% de las unidades administran 800 UI/día de vitamina D. Casi el 50% de las unidades utilizan leche de fórmula del prematuro al alta de las unidades. Conclusión: la mayoría de las unidades neonatales españolas administran precozmente los suplementos de aminoácidos y más de la mitad emplean emulsiones de lípidos a base de aceite. Hay una importante variación en las prácticas nutricionales posteriores al alta y en la administración de vitamina

Sleep duration and problem behaviour in 8-year-old children in the Childhood Obesity Project

There is growing evidence that insufficient sleep has negative effects on the mental health of children. The aim of this study is to examine the associations between device-measured sleep duration and internalizing and externalizing problems in 8-year-old children. The study is a secondary analysis of data from the Childhood Obesity Project conducted in five European countries. Nocturnal sleep duration was measured with the SenseWear™ Armband 2. Parents rated their child’s internalizing and externalizing problems on the Child Behaviour Checklist. Behaviour scores were dichotomized at the 90th percentile based on sex- and country-specific z-scores. Logistic regression models were applied to test the associations between sleep duration and behaviour. Data were available for 406 8-year-old children. The average sleep duration was 9.25 h per night (SD: 0.67) with 1464 nights measured in total. The sleep duration recommendation of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for school-aged children (9–12 h) was met by 66.7% of children. One hour of additional sleep per night significantly reduced the risk of having internalizing problems (adjusted OR = 0.51; 95% CI 0.29–0.91). Children who adhered to the sleep duration recommendation had a lower risk for internalizing problems (adjusted OR = 0.45; 95% CI 0.21–0.99). Sleep duration and externalizing problems showed no significant association. Longer sleep duration was associated with a reduced risk of having internalizing problems but not externalizing problems. Results highlight that it is important to ensure adequate sleep duration throughout primary-school years for the optimal emotional health of children. Trial registration number: NCT00338689. Registered: June 19, 2006

Reduced bone mass in 7-year-old children with asymptomatic idiopathic hypercalciuria

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Idiopathic hypercalciuria (IHC), i.e. an elevated urinary calcium excretion without concomitant hypercalcemia, is a common disorder in children and can have a range of urinary clinical presentations and decreased bone mineral density (BMD). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Aim:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; To assess the effect of IHC on bone mineral content in children without urological symptoms. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Calcium excretion, BMD (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and anthropometry were assessed in 175 seven-year-old children who were classified as IHC or controls. Calcium intake and physical activity were measured as confounding factors. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The prevalence of IHC was 17.7%. Both groups (controls and IHC) showed similar baseline characteristics in terms of their anthropometry, gender distribution, and protein and calcium dietary intakes as well as physical activity scores. Urinary calciuria was independent of the calcium dietary intake and anthropometry. BMD correlated with anthropometry and physical activity but not with calcium dietary intake. IHC children had lower whole-body BMD z-scores compared to controls. The role of IHC in reducing the whole-body BMD z-score was still significant even when anthropometry, physical activity, and calcium intake were included as confounders in multivariate analyses. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The prevalence of IHC in this population of 7-year-old children was about 17%. IHC diagnosis was associated with lower BMD z-scores and osteopenia in 22% of them.</jats:p

Effects of screen time and playing outside on anthropometric measures in preschool aged children

Objective: In view of the current obesity epidemic, studies focusing on the interplay of playing outside (PO), screen time (ST) and anthropometric measures in preschool age are necessary to guide evidence-based public health planning. We therefore investigated the relationship between average time spent PO and ST from the ages 3 to 6 years and anthropometric measures at 6 years of age. Methods PO and ST of 526 children of the European Childhood Obesity Project (CHOP) were annually assessed by questionnaire from 3 until 6 years of age. Body weight, waist circumference and height were measured at 3 and 6 years of age to calculate Body-Mass-Index z-Scores (zBMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WTH). Linear, logistic and quantile regressions were used to test whether average time spent PO and ST in the 4 year period had an effect on anthropometric measures at age 6 years. Results Longer daily ST was associated with a higher zBMI (P = 0.002) and WTH (P = 0.001) at 6 years of age. No significant associations were found for time spent PO. Each additional hour of average ST during the 4 year period resulted in a 66% higher risk of having a zBMI score over 1 (P < 0.001) and almost twice the risk (94% higher risk) of having an zBMI score over 2 (P < 0.001) at 6 years. Conclusions: Excessive ST during preschool age is a risk factor for increased zBMI at 6 years, regardless of time spent PO. Reducing high levels of ST during preschool age, for e.g. at least 1h per week, could help preventing childhood obesity

Mental performance in 8-year-old children fed reduced protein content formula during the 1st year of life: safety analysis of a randomised clinical trial

In humans, maximum brain development occurs between the third trimester of gestation and 2 years of life. Nutrition during these critical windows of rapid brain development might be essential for later cognitive functioning and behaviour. In the last few years, trends on protein recommendations during infancy and childhood have tended to be lower than that in the past. It remains to be demonstrated that lower protein intakes among healthy infants, a part of being able to reduce obesity risk, is safe in terms of mental performance achievement. Secondary analyses of the EU CHOP, a clinical trial in which infants from five European countries were randomised to be fed a higher or a lower protein content formula during the 1st year of life. Children were assessed at the age of 8 years with a neuropsychological battery of tests that included assessments of memory (visual and verbal), attention (visual, selective, focused and sustained), visual-perceptual integration, processing speed, visual-motor coordination, verbal fluency and comprehension, impulsivity/inhibition, flexibility/shifting, working memory, reasoning, visual-spatial skills and decision making. Internalising, externalising and total behaviour problems were assessed using the Child Behaviour Checklist 4\u201318. Adjusted analyses considering factors that could influence neurodevelopment, such as parental education level, maternal smoking, child\u2019s gestational age at birth and head circumference, showed no differences between feeding groups in any of the assessed neuropsychological domains and behaviour. In summary, herewith we report on the safety of lower protein content in infant formulae (closer to the content of human milk) according to long-term mental performance

Rapid growth and childhood obesity are strongly associated with lysoPC(14:0)

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing interest in the early-origins-of-later-disease hypothesis, little is known about the metabolic underpinnings linking infant weight gain and childhood obesity. OBJECTIVE: To discover biomarkers reflective of weight change in the first 6 months and overweight/obesity at age 6 years via a targeted metabolomics approach. DESIGN: This analysis comprised 726 infants from a European multicenter randomized trial (Childhood Obesity Programme, CHOP) for whom plasma blood samples at age 6 months and anthropometric data up to the age of 6 years were available. 'Rapid growth' was defined as a positive difference in weight within the first 6 months of life standardized to WHO growth standards. Weight change was regressed on each of 168 metabolites (acylcarnitines, lysophosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, and amino acids). Metabolites significant after Bonferroni's correction were tested as predictors of later overweight/obesity. RESULTS: Among the overall 19 significant metabolites, 4 were associated with rapid growth and 15 were associated with a less-than-ideal weight change. After adjusting for feeding group, only the lysophosphatidylcholine LPCaC14:0 remained significantly associated with rapid weight gain (\u3b2 = 0.18). Only LPCaC14:0 at age 6 months was predictive of overweight/obesity at age 6 years (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.04-1.69). CONCLUSION: LPCa14:0 is strongly related to rapid growth in infancy and childhood overweight/obesity. This suggests that LPCaC14:0 levels may represent a metabolically programmed effect of infant weight gain on the later obesity risk. However, these results require confirmation by independent cohorts