Search

Obesity continues to be a problem in the United States. Of particular concern is the epidemic of early childhood obesity. A significant predictor of child diet is maternal diet, but little is known about this relationship during infancy. This study examined the association between maternal and infant consumption of key food groups from 6 to 18 months using data from the Infant Care, Feeding, and Risk of Obesity Study, a prospective cohort of 217 non-Hispanic black, low-income, first-time mothers. Using data from 24-hr dietary recalls collected during in-home visits at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months, we assessed longitudinal associations between mother and child intake of both energy-dense, nutrient-poor (obesogenic) food groups and fibre-, nutrient-rich food groups using random intercept logistic regression. Both mothers and their infants had high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweets and low intake of vegetables and whole grains. Infant consumption of key food groups was strongly associated with maternal consumption, suggesting the need for focused interventions to target maternal diet as a pathway to decreasing risk for the establishment of poor dietary patterns early in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational vitamin D insufficiency is related with increased risks of various diseases and poor health outcomes later in life. Telomere length at birth or early in life is known to be a predictor of individual health. Both vitamin D and telomere length are related with various health conditions, and vitamin D concentrations are associated with leukocyte telomere lengths in women. We investigated the association between maternal vitamin D concentrations and newborn leukocyte telomere lengths. This cross-sectional study included 106 healthy pregnant women without adverse obstetric outcomes and their offspring. We examined the maternal age, weight before pregnancy, health behaviours, and nutritional intakes, along with each newborn's sex and birthweight, and we measured maternal height, telomere length, total white blood cell count, and glycosylated haemoglobin as covariates. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate the relationship between the baseline variables and newborn leukocyte telomere lengths. To confirm that there was an independent association between newborn leukocyte telomere lengths and maternal vitamin D concentrations, we performed a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Newborn leukocyte telomere lengths correlated positively with maternal leukocyte telomere lengths ( r = .76, p < .01), maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations ( r = .72, p < .01), maternal energy intakes ( r = .22, p = .03), and newborn body weights ( r = .51, p < .01). In the multivariate model, newborn leukocyte telomere lengths were associated with maternal vitamin D concentrations (β = .33, p < .01). These findings suggest that the maternal vitamin D concentration during pregnancy may be a significant determinant of the offspring's telomere length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetables are commonly rejected by children, making it is important to consider factors that are associated with children's fussiness with vegetables. The current study aimed to investigate whether fussiness with vegetables is associated with a number of factors including caregiver and child vegetable consumption; caregivers' general feeding practices; and caregivers' vegetable-specific feeding practices. Caregivers ( N = 297) of preschool children completed questionnaire measures of their child's fussiness with vegetables, as well as several caregiver and child factors hypothesised to be associated with children's fussiness with vegetables. Findings indicate that children who are fussier with vegetables consume a smaller quantity of vegetables and that almost all have caregivers who eat a smaller quantity of vegetables. Children's fussiness with vegetables was not significantly related to any general feeding practices used by caregivers. However, children's fussiness with vegetables was significantly associated with the use of several vegetable specific feeding practices. Caregivers of fussier children used more encouragement/pressure to eat with vegetables ( r = 0.14, p = .01), hid vegetables within other foods more often ( r = 0.30, p = <.01), used more food rewards for vegetable consumption ( r = 0.19, p <.01), more other rewards for vegetable consumption ( r = 0.21, p < .01), and compromised more when feeding vegetables ( r = 0.14, p = .01). These findings suggest that rather than caregivers' general feeding practices being related to children's fussiness with vegetables, the specific feeding practices used when vegetables are rejected are more significant. It may therefore be helpful to develop advice for caregivers about which feeding practices to avoid when faced with a child who is fussy about eating vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home fortification of complementary foods (CFs) with multiple micronutrient powders (MNPs) is being scaled up in various countries, but little is known about the prevailing complementary feeding practices and the type and nutrient gaps to be filled with MNPs. The present study evaluated the complementary feeding practices of young children and simulated the risk of inadequate and excessive intakes associated with home fortification with MNPs. We have assessed the sociodemographic status, anthropometry, and complementary feeding practices of young children ( N = 122) in Mecha district, rural Ethiopia. Using a 2-day, quantitative 24-hr recall, usual intakes of energy, protein, iron, zinc, and calcium were estimated. The risks of inadequate and excessive iron and zinc intakes with or without home fortification scenarios were assessed. The simulations considered intakes from CFs assuming average breast milk contributions and additional nutrients provided by the MNPs. Stunting was highly prevalent (50%) and was associated with a lower dietary diversity ( P = .009) and nutrient intakes from the CFs. Median energy, zinc, and calcium intakes were below the estimated needs from CFs; protein needs were met. Median dietary iron intake appeared adequate, but 76%, 95% CI [68%, 84%], of children had inadequate intake (assuming low bioavailability), whereas another 8%, 95% CI: [3%, 13%], had excessive intakes. Simulation of daily and alternative day's fortification with MNP decreased the prevalence of inadequate iron and zinc intake but significantly increased the risk of excessive intakes that remained unacceptably high for iron (>2.5%). Untargeted MNP interventions may lead to excessive intakes, even in settings where poor complementary feeding practices are prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin B6 is important in fetal development, but little is known of the vitamin B6 status of pregnant women and newborns in North America and potential modifying factors. This prospective study determined maternal and cord plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5′ phosphate (PLP; an indicator of vitamin B6 status) in a convenience sample of 368 Canadian pregnant women and their newborns. The association of maternal intake of vitamin B6 and fetal genetic variants with cord plasma PLP and homocysteine concentrations was also examined. Dietary and supplemental intakes of vitamin B6 were assessed in early and mid to late pregnancy. PLP concentrations were measured in maternal plasma in early pregnancy and at delivery, and in cord plasma. Six fetal variants of the MTHFR and CβS genes were assessed for their association with cord plasma PLP and homocysteine concentrations. Geometric mean (95% CI) PLP concentrations were 107 (98, 116) nmol/L in early pregnancy and 58 (53, 62) nmol/L at delivery, respectively, and 296 (275, 319) nmol/L in cord blood ( p < .0001). During early pregnancy and at delivery, 3.6% and 5.5% of women had plasma PLP concentrations <20 nmol/L, respectively. Ninety eight percent of the women with supplemental B6 intake of at least the recommended dietary allowance had PLP concentrations >20 nmol/L. Fetal genetic variants were not associated with cord PLP and homocysteine concentrations. Vitamin B6 deficiency is uncommon in a cohort of Canadian pregnant women due largely to prevalent vitamin B6 supplement use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is recommended that infants from the age of 12 months should be weaned from bottles. However, an overwhelming proportion of young children were still using bottle after the recommended age of bottle-weaning. This cross-sectional study examined the association between utensils for milk drinking and food group consumption, growth and socio-demographic characteristics among young children. Data from the Survey of Infant and Young Child Feeding in Hong Kong were analyzed for 649 children aged 18-48 months old. Dietary outcomes were obtained via 3-day dietary records, while utensils for milk drinking and socio-demographic characteristics were collected from a self-developed questionnaire. Length/height and weight of the children were measured by the nurses. Results showed that daily consumption of formula milk was significantly greater among bottle users or bottle plus cup users than non-bottle users ( p < 0.05). Exclusive bottle users had significantly lower intakes of meat and meat alternatives than bottle plus cup users for the 18 to 24-month group ( p = 0.001) and lower intakes of fruits than non-bottle users in the 48-month group ( p = 0.015). BMI z-score was significantly higher for exclusive bottle users than non-bottle users, even after adjusting for socio-economic factors and child's age ( p = 0.006). The results showed that the milk drinking utensil was associated with the amount of formula milk and food group consumption as well as BMI z-score. There is a need to actively discourage prolonged bottle use in order to help young children develop good dietary habits. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]