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Background: Maternal diet during pregnancy has been shown to influence the child neuro-developmental outcomes. Studies examining effects of dietary patterns on offspring behavior are sparse.Objective: Determine if maternal adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with child behavioral outcomes assessed early in life, and to evaluate the role of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) regulating genomically imprinted genes in these associations.Methods: Among 325 mother/infant pairs, we used regression models to evaluate the association between tertiles of maternal periconceptional Mediterranean diet adherence (MDA) scores derived from a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and social and emotional scores derived from the Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) questionnaire in the second year of life. Methylation of nine genomically imprinted genes was measured to determine if MDA was associated with CpG methylation.Results: Child depression was inversely associated with maternal MDA (Bonferroni-corrected p = 0.041). While controlling for false-discovery, compared to offspring of women with the lowest MDA tertile, those with MDA scores in middle and high MDA tertiles had decreased odds for atypical behaviors [OR (95% CI) = 0.40 (0.20, 0.78) for middle and 0.40 (0.17, 0.92) for highest tertile], for maladaptive behaviors [0.37 (0.18, 0.72) for middle tertile and 0.42 (0.18, 0.95) for highest tertile] and for an index of autism spectrum disorder behaviors [0.46 (0.23, 0.90) for middle and 0.35 (0.15, 0.80) for highest tertile]. Offspring of women with the highest MDA tertile were less likely to exhibit depressive [OR = 0.28 (0.12, 0.64)] and anxiety [0.42 (0.18, 0.97)] behaviors and increased odds of social relatedness [2.31 (1.04, 5.19)] behaviors when compared to low MDA mothers. Some associations varied by sex. Perinatal MDA score was associated with methylation differences for imprinted control regions of PEG10/SGCE [females: Beta (95% CI) = 1.66 (0.52, 2.80) – Bonferroni-corrected p = 0.048; males: -0.56 (-1.13, -0.00)], as well as both MEG3 and IGF2 in males [0.97 (0.00, 1.94)] and -0.92 (-1.65, -0.19) respectively.Conclusion: In this ethnically diverse cohort, maternal adherence to a Mediterranean diet in early pregnancy was associated with favorable neurobehavioral outcomes in early childhood and with sex-dependent methylation differences of MEG3, IGF2, and SGCE/PEG10 DMRs.

Objetivos: Identificar los patrones dietéticos durante el embarazo, describiendo su relación con factores sociodemográficos, tabaquismo e índice de masa corporal, y evaluar la dieta en relación con las recomendaciones dietéticas vigentes. Métodos: Valoración transversal de la dieta en 473 mujeres de Menorca (España). Los patrones dietéticos se identificaron por análisis de componentes principales. El grado de adecuación se estimó comparando el consumo promedio por grupo alimentario con lo recomendado durante el embarazo. Resultados: Se identificaron dos patrones dietéticos, uno caracterizado por alimentos de alta densidad calórica y bajo consumo de frutas y verduras, denominado «calórico», y otro caracterizado por alto consumo de verduras, legumbres, pescado, carnes, pasta y arroz, denominado «saludable». Las mujeres extranjeras, fumadoras, no nulíparas y con estudios primarios tuvieron puntuaciones más altas del patrón calórico (pObjectives: To identify dietary patterns in pregnancy and describe their relationship with sociodemographic factors, smoking, and body mass index. As a secondary objective, intakes were evaluated relative to current dietary recommendations for pregnant women. Methods: Cross-sectional assessment of dietary intakes in 473 pregnant women from the Island of Menorca (Spain) was performed. Dietary patterns were identified using a principal components analysis, and dietary quality was assessed by comparing food group intakes with recommended intakes in pregnancy. Results: Two dietary patterns were identified, one characterized by high intakes of energy-dense foods and low intakes of fruits and vegetables («caloric»), and the other by high intakes of vegetables, legumes, fish, meat, rice and pasta («healthy»). Scores for the caloric pattern were higher in immigrants, smokers, parous women and women with only primary school education (p

IntroductionBreastfeeding effects on cognition are attributed to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), but controversy persists. Genetic variation in fatty acid desaturase (FADS) and elongase (ELOVL) enzymes has been overlooked when studying the effects of LC-PUFAs supply on cognition. We aimed to: 1) to determine whether maternal genetic variants in the FADS cluster and ELOVL genes contribute to differences in LC-PUFA levels in colostrum; 2) to analyze whether these maternal variants are related to child cognition; and 3) to assess whether children's variants modify breastfeeding effects on cognition.MethodsData come from two population-based birth cohorts (n = 400 mother-child pairs from INMA-Sabadell; and n = 340 children from INMA-Menorca). LC-PUFAs were measured in 270 colostrum samples from INMA-Sabadell. Tag SNPs were genotyped both in mothers and children (13 in the FADS cluster, 6 in ELOVL2, and 7 in ELOVL5). Child cognition was assessed at 14 mo and 4 y using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, respectively.ResultsChildren of mothers carrying genetic variants associated with lower FADS1 activity (regulating AA and EPA synthesis), higher FADS2 activity (regulating DHA synthesis), and with higher EPA/AA and DHA/AA ratios in colostrum showed a significant advantage in cognition at 14 mo (3.5 to 5.3 points). Not being breastfed conferred an 8- to 9-point disadvantage in cognition among children GG homozygote for rs174468 (low FADS1 activity) but not among those with the A allele. Moreover, not being breastfed resulted in a disadvantage in cognition (5 to 8 points) among children CC homozygote for rs2397142 (low ELOVL5 activity), but not among those carrying the G allele.ConclusionGenetically determined maternal supplies of LC-PUFAs during pregnancy and lactation appear to be crucial for child cognition. Breastfeeding effects on cognition are modified by child genetic variation in fatty acid desaturase and elongase enzymes.

AbstractObjective??To examine the association between anthropometry and endometrial cancer, particularly by menopausal status and exogenous hormone use subgroups.Methods??Among 223,008 women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, there were 567 incident endometrial cancer cases during 6.4 years of follow-up. The analysis was performed with Cox proportional hazards modeling.Results??Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences and waist?hip ratio (WHR) were strongly associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer. The relative risk (RR) for obese (BMI 30? < 40 kg/m2) compared to normal weight (BMI < 25) women was 1.78, 95% CI = 1.41?2.26, and for morbidly obese women (BMI ? 40) was 3.02, 95% CI = 1.66?5.52. The RR for women with a waist circumference of ?88 cm vs. <80 cm was 1.76, 95% CI = 1.42?2.19. Adult weight gain of ?20 kg compared with stable weight (?3 kg) increased risk independent of body weight at age 20 (RR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.11?2.77). These associations were generally stronger for postmenopausal than premenopausal women, and oral contraceptives never-users than ever-users, and much stronger among never-users of hormone replacement therapy compared to ever-users.Conclusion??Obesity, abdominal adiposity, and adult weight gain were strongly associated with endometrial cancer risk. These associations were particularly evident among never-users of hormone replacement therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract