Changes in physical activity patterns from adolescence to young adulthood: the BELINDA study

Physical activity (PA) is recognized as a marker of health. The aim was to investigate PA differences from adolescence to young adulthood. European adolescents included in the HELENA study were invited to participate in a follow-up study, 10 years later. The present study included 141 adults (25.0 ± 1.4 years) for whom valid accelerometer data were available in adolescence and adulthood. Changes in PA by sex, weight and maternal education level were explored with interactions. Time spent in sedentary activity, light PA (LPA) and moderate PA (MPA) increased by 39.1, 59.6 and 6.6 min/day, respectively, whereas the time spent in vigorous PA (VPA) decreased by 11.3 min/day compared with adolescent VPA (p < 0.05). Increases in MPA were greater on weekends compared with weekdays, but we found a greater decrease in VPA on weekdays compared with weekends. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) decreased significantly on weekdays (–9.6 min/day; 95%CI, –15.9 to –3.4), while it increased on weekends (8.4 min/day; 95%CI, 1.9 to 14.8). Significant heterogeneity was found across sexes for VPA and MVPA, with a stronger decrease in VPA in males compared with females and a significant decrease in MVPA (–12.5 min/day; 95%CI, –20.4 to –4.5) in males but not in females (1.9 min/day; 95%CI, –5.5 to 9.2). No significant heterogeneity was found to be linked to maternal education level or weight, irrespective of PA level. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the transition from adolescence to young adulthood is a critical period for lifestyle PA habits. A decline in VPA and an increasingly sedentary time were observed. The observed changes are worrying and may increase the risk of developing adverse health consequences later in life

Breakfast dietary pattern is inversely associated with overweight/obesity in european adolescents: the Helena study

Obesity in children and adolescents is a public health problem and diet can play a major role in this condition. We aimed to identify sex-specific dietary patterns (DP) and to evaluate the association with overweight/obesity in European adolescents. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis with 2327 adolescents aged between 12.5 to 17.5 years from a multicenter study across Europe. The body mass index was categorized in “normal weight” and “overweight/obesity”. Two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls were collected with a computerized self-reported software. Principal component factor analysis was used to identify DP. Mixed-effect logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between the sex-specific DP and overweight/obesity outcome. As a result, we found three DP in boys (snacking and bread, Mediterranean diet, and breakfast) and four DP in girls (convenience, plant-based and eggs, Western, and breakfast). The association between DP and overweight/obesity highlights that those adolescents with higher adherence to the breakfast DP had lower odds for overweight/obesity, even after the inclusion of covariables in the adjustments. In European adolescents, the breakfast DP positively characterized by breakfast cereals, fruit, milk, and dairy and negatively characterized by sugar-sweetened beverages in boys and negatively characterized by cereals (pasta, rice, and others) in girls, was inversely associated with overweight/obesity

A multi-exposure approach to study telomere dynamics in childhood : a role for residential green space and waist circumference

Background: Telomeres are vulnerable to various environmental exposures and lifestyle factors, encompassed in the exposome. Recent research shows that telomere length is substantially determined early in life and that exposures in childhood may have important consequences in setting later life telomere length. Objectives: We explore in a child population the associations of 17 exposures with telomere length and longitudinal telomere change. Methods: Children (2.8-10.3y at baseline, 51.3% boys) were followed-up for five to seven years. Relative telomere length was measured at baseline and follow-up using quantitative real-time PCR. Exposures and lifestyle factors included: body composition (body mass index and waist circumference), dietary habits (sugar- and fat-rich food intake, vegetables and fruit intake), psychosocial stress (events, emotions, behaviour), sleep duration, physical activity, and residential environmental quality (longterm black carbon, particulate matter exposure, and residential green space). Cross-sectional (n=182) and longitudinal (n=150) analyses were assessed using linear regression models, adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status and multiple testing. Results: Our longitudinal analyses showed that higher residential green space at baseline was associated with (beta = 0.261, p=0.002) lower telomere attrition and that children with a higher waist circumference at baseline showed a higher telomere attrition (beta = - 0.287, p=0.001). These two predictors were confirmed via LASSO variable selection and correction for multiple testing. In addition, children with more unhealthy exposures at baseline had a significantly higher telomere attrition over the follow-up period compared to children with more healthy exposures (beta = - 0.200, p=0.017). Discussion: Waist circumference and residential green space were identified as predictors associated with telomere attrition in childhood. These results further support the advantages of a healthy lifestyle from early age onwards and the importance of a green environment to promote molecular longevity from childhood onwards

Residential green space and waist circumference affect telomere shortening in childhood: the longitudinal ChiBS study

BACKGROUND: Telomere shortening, recognised as one of the most well known biomarkers of biological ageing, is susceptible to various environmental and lifestyle factors, encompassed in the exposome. Research shows that telomere length is substantially determined early in life and that exposures in childhood can have important consequences in setting telomere length later in life and thus the lifespan of an individual. We explored the associations between 17 exposures and longitudinal telomere change in a child population. METHODS: Children up to the age of 9 years, from Aalter, Belgium, were enrolled in 2008 and 2010 and followed-up for 5 or 7 years (up to 2015). Relative telomere length was measured at baseline (2008 or 2010) and at follow-up, in 2015, through quantitative real-time PCR. Exposures and lifestyle factors comprised: body-mass index, waist circumference, dietary habits (ie, sugar-rich and fat-rich food intake and vegetables and fruit intake), psychosocial stress (ie, negative events, emotions, and behaviour), sleep duration, physical activity, and residential environmental quality (long-term black carbon and particulate matter exposure and residential green space). Green space was estimated from high-resolution land cover data within several buffers (50-3000 m) around the child's residence. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were done by means of linear regression models, adjusting for length of follow-up, age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Effect size was expressed as β, the standardised regression coefficient of the linear regression, and was calculated by multiplying the unstandardised regression coefficient by the standard deviation of the predictor variable and dividing by the standard deviation of the outcome variable. Written informed consent was obtained from all parents. Children aged 12 years and older also provided written informed consent. Children younger than 12 years gave verbal consent. FINDINGS: 150 children (77 [51%] boys and 73 [49%] girls) aged 2·8-10·3 years (median 5·9 years [IQR 4·9-7·1]) at baseline were included in the longitudinal analysis, which showed that higher residential green space at baseline was associated with inferior telomere shortening (β=0·261; p=0·0018), whereas a higher baseline waist circumference was associated with more telomere attrition (β=-0·287; p=0·0015). These predictors were confirmed via lasso variable selection and correction for multiple testing. In addition, children with more unhealthy exposures had significantly more telomere shortening over the follow-up period than did children with less unhealthy baseline exposures (β=-0·200; p=0·017). INTERPRETATION: Residential green space and waist circumference were identified as predictors of telomere shortening in childhood. These results further showcase the benefits of a healthy lifestyle from an early age and the importance of a green environment in promoting molecular longevity from childhood onwards. FUNDING: Research Foundation Flanders (Brussels, Belgium; project number G073315N)

Association of Chronic Exposure to Black Carbon Particles And Risk of Prediabetes and Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents: Results from the Idefics/I.Family Study

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Association of urinary and ambient black carbon, and other ambient air pollutants with risk of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents

The effects of exposure to black carbon (BC) on various diseases remains unclear, one reason being potential exposure misclassification following modelling of ambient air pollution levels. Urinary BC particles may be a more precise measure to analyze the health effects of BC. We aimed to assess the risk of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in relation to urinary BC particles and ambient BC and to compare their associations in 5453 children from IDEFICS/I. Family cohort. We determined the amount of BC particles in urine using label-free white-light generation under femtosecond pulsed laser illumination. We assessed annual exposure to ambient air pollutants (BC, PM2.5 and NO2) at the place of residence using land use regression models for Europe, and we calculated the residential distance to major roads (≤250 m vs. more). We analyzed the cross-sectional relationships between urinary BC and air pollutants (BC, PM2.5 and NO2) and distance to roads, and the associations of all these variables to the risk of prediabetes and MetS, using logistic and linear regression models. Though we did not observe associations between urinary and ambient BC in overall analysis, we observed a positive association between urinary and ambient BC levels in boys and in children living ≤250 m to a major road compared to those living >250 m away from a major road. We observed a positive association between log-transformed urinary BC particles and MetS (ORper unit increase = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.21; 2.45). An association between ambient BC and MetS was only observed in children living closer to a major road. Our findings suggest that exposure to BC (ambient and biomarker) may contribute to the risk of MetS in children. By measuring the internal dose, the BC particles in urine may have additionally captured non-residential sources and reduced exposure misclassification. Larger studies, with longitudinal design including measurement of urinary BC at multiple time-points are warranted to confirm our findings

Association of urinary and ambient black carbon, and other ambient pollutants with risk of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents

International audienceThe effects of exposure to black carbon (BC) on various diseases remains unclear, one reason being potential exposure misclassification following modelling of ambient air pollution levels. Urinary BC particles may be a more precise measure to analyze the health effects of BC. We aimed to assess the risk of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in relation to urinary BC particles and ambient BC and to compare their associations in 5453 children from IDEFICS/I. Family cohort. We determined the amount of BC particles in urine using label-free white-light generation under femtosecond pulsed laser illumination. We assessed annual exposure to ambient air pollutants (BC, PM(2.5) and NO(2)) at the place of residence using land use regression models for Europe, and we calculated the residential distance to major roads (≤250 m vs. more). We analyzed the cross-sectional relationships between urinary BC and air pollutants (BC, PM(2.5) and NO(2)) and distance to roads, and the associations of all these variables to the risk of prediabetes and MetS, using logistic and linear regression models. Though we did not observe associations between urinary and ambient BC in overall analysis, we observed higher urinary BC levels in boys and in children living ≤250 m to a major road compared to those living &gt;250 m away from a major road. We observed a positive association between log-transformed urinary BC particles and MetS (OR(per unit increase) = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.21; 2.45). An association between ambient BC and MetS was only observed in children living closer to a major road. Our findings suggest that exposure to BC (ambient and biomarker) may contribute to the risk of MetS in children. By measuring the internal dose, the BC particles in urine may have additionally captured non-residential sources and reduced exposure misclassification. Larger studies, with longitudinal design including measurement of urinary BC at multiple time-points are warranted to confirm our findings

Development of a genetic risk score to predict the risk of hypertension in European adolescents from the HELENA study

Abstract Background Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with blood pressure (BP) levels. A combination of SNPs, forming a genetic risk score (GRS) could be considered a useful genetic tool to identify individuals at risk of developing hypertension from early stages in life. Therefore, the study aims to predict the genetic predisposition to hypertension in European adolescents from a GRS. Methods A total of 869 adolescents (53% female), aged 12.5–17.5, were included from the “Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence” (HELENA) cross-sectional study. The sample was divided into altered (≥ 130 mmHg for systolic and/or ≥ 80 mmHg for diastolic) or normal BP. Results From 1534 SNPs available, An initial screening of SNPs univariately associated with BP (p &lt; 0.10) was established, to finally obtain a number of 16 SNPs significantly associated with BP (p &lt; 0.05) in the multivariate model. Both unweighted GRS (uGRS) and weighted GRS (wGRS) were associated with altered BP. The area under the curve was explored using ten-fold internal cross-validation for uGRS (0.796) and wGRS (0.803). Further covariates were added to obtain a higher predictive ability. Conclusions Both GRSs, could be useful to evaluate the genetic predisposition to hypertension in European adolescents.</jats:p