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The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns affected the lifestyles of children and adolescents, leading to an increase in childhood obesity. Paediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) may be more susceptible to lockdown effects due to their increased cardiovascular risk. However, data are lacking. We investigated the effect of lockdowns on the metabolic profile of paediatric patients with FH. Blood lipids and anthropometry measured in September 2021–April 2022 were retrospectively compared with pre-pandemic values. Thirty participants were included (1–16 years; 57% female). From baseline to post-pandemic, median [P25, P75] blood LDL-C concentration was 125 [112, 150] mg/dL vs. 125 [100, 147] mg/dL (p = 0.894); HDL-C was 58 [52, 65] mg/dL vs. 56 [51, 61] mg/dL (p = 0.107); triglycerides were 64 [44, 86] mg/dL vs. 59 [42, 86] mg/dL (p = 0.178). The BMI z-score did not change significantly (0.19 [−0.58, 0.89] vs. 0.30 [−0.48, 1.10], p = 0.524). The lack of deterioration in metabolic profiles during lockdowns is positive, as some deterioration was expected. We speculate that patients and caregivers were successfully educated about healthy lifestyle and dietary habits. Our results should be interpreted with caution since the study sample was small and heterogeneous. Multicentre research is needed to better understand the impact of lockdowns on this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In standard fortification of human milk (HM), the HM macronutrient content is assumed, and a fixed amount of a multinutrient fortifier is added to achieve recommended nutrient intakes. In target fortification, the HM macronutrient content is regularly measured, guiding the addition of modular macronutrient supplements to the fortified HM, to achieve the nutritional targets more precisely. Objective: The study aimed to investigate whether this addition of modular supplements, unaccompanied by mineral supplementation, predispose to metabolic bone disease (MBD). Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a larger study of infants born with <33 weeks gestational age. Fortifications based on the assumed (Group 1) or measured (Group 2) of the HM macronutrient content were compared, using low serum phosphate levels as an indicator of MBD, and length growth as a surrogate of bone growth. Results: Eighty‑four infants were included, 35 in Group 1 and 49 in Group 2. During the exposure period, infants of Group 2 received higher mean fat (6.1 vs. 5.3 g/kg/day, P < 0.001) and carbohydrate (13.0 vs. 11.7 g/kg/day, P < 0.001) intakes; in addition, they exhibited lower mean serum phosphate (5.5 vs. 6.0 mg/dL, P = 0.022) and faster mean length velocity (1.06 vs. 0.89 cm/week, P = 0.003). Conclusions: These findings suggest that feeding fortified HM with extra fat and carbohydrate content, unaccompanied by mineral supplementation, promotes increased bone growth, as indicated by accelerated length growth, but with insufficiently mineralized osteoid, indicated by low serum phosphate levels. Intervention studies using direct biomarkers of bone mass content and mineral density are necessary to corroborate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]