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Author(s): Gillian M. Maher [sup.1] [sup.2] , Gerard W. O'Keeffe [sup.1] [sup.3] , Linda M. O'Keeffe [sup.2] , Karen Matvienko-Sikar [sup.2] , Christina Dalman [sup.4] [sup.5] , Patricia M. Kearney [...], Objectives To examine the associations between preeclampsia and longitudinal child developmental and behavioural outcomes using data from a nationally representative study of children living in Ireland. Methods We used maternal-reported data from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study of children. Data on preeclampsia and preeclampsia + small for gestational age (SGA) were collected when children were 9-months old. Data on child development and behavioural outcomes were collected at 9-months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and at 3 years, 5 years and 7-8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between preeclampsia exposure and failure of ASQ domains, and abnormal SDQ domains. Linear spline multilevel models were used to examine the association between preeclampsia and preeclampsia + SGA and repeated measures of SDQ. All models controlled for several perinatal and sociodemographic factors. Results A total of 10,692 children were included in the study at baseline, representing a weighted total of 70,791. Multivariate logistic regression suggested that preeclampsia was not associated with failing any ASQ domain. Preeclampsia was associated with abnormal SDQ cut-off of emotional ([greater than or equal to] 5) and hyperactivity ([greater than or equal to] 7) domains at age 5 years only. In the linear spline model, mean SDQ score was higher at each time point in exposed groups. Conclusions for Practice While we did not find strong evidence of associations between preeclampsia and child developmental and behavioural outcomes overall, some associations between preeclampsia-exposure and subtle behavioural issues did persist. Further research is needed to replicate these findings, and determine the clinical significance of changes in SDQ scores.

Author(s): Linda M. O'Keeffe 1,2,3,*, Joshua A. Bell 2,3, Kate N. O'Neill 1, Matthew A. Lee 2,3, Mark Woodward 4,5, Sanne A. E. Peters 4,5,6, George Davey Smith 2,3, Patricia [...], Background Sex differences in cardiometabolic disease risk are commonly observed across the life course but are poorly understood and may be due to different associations of adiposity with cardiometabolic risk in females and males. We examined whether adiposity is differently associated with cardiometabolic trait levels in females and males at 3 different life stages. Methods and findings Data were from 2 generations (offspring, Generation 1 [G1] born in 1991/1992 and their parents, Generation 0 [G0]) of a United Kingdom population-based birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Follow-up continues on the cohort; data up to 25 y after recruitment to the study are included in this analysis. Body mass index (BMI) and total fat mass from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were measured at mean age 9 y, 15 y, and 18 y in G1. Waist circumference was measured at 9 y and 15 y in G1. Concentrations of 148 cardiometabolic traits quantified using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were measured at 15 y, 18 y, and 25 y in G1. In G0, all 3 adiposity measures and the same 148 traits were available at 50 y. Using linear regression models, sex-specific associations of adiposity measures at each time point (9 y, 15 y, and 18 y) with cardiometabolic traits 3 to 6 y later were examined in G1. In G0, sex-specific associations of adiposity measures and cardiometabolic traits were examined cross-sectionally at 50 y. A total of 3,081 G1 and 4,887 G0 participants contributed to analyses. BMI was more strongly associated with key atherogenic traits in males compared with females at younger ages (15 y to 25 y), and associations were more similar between the sexes or stronger in females at 50 y, particularly for apolipoprotein B-containing lipoprotein particles and lipid concentrations. For example, a 1 standard deviation (SD) (3.8 kg/m.sup.2) higher BMI at 18 y was associated with 0.36 SD (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20, 0.52) higher concentrations of extremely large very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles at 25 y in males compared with 0.15 SD (95% CI = 0.09, 0.21) in females, P value for sex difference = 0.02. By contrast, at 50 y, a 1 SD (4.8 kg/m.sup.2) higher BMI was associated with 0.33 SD (95% CI = 0.25, 0.42) and 0.30 SD (95% CI = 0.26, 0.33) higher concentrations of extremely large VLDL particles in males and females, respectively, P value for sex difference = 0.42. Sex-specific associations of DXA-measured fat mass and waist circumference with cardiometabolic traits were similar to findings for BMI and cardiometabolic traits at each age. The main limitation of this work is its observational nature, and replication in independent cohorts using methods that can infer causality is required. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that associations of adiposity with adverse cardiometabolic risk begin earlier in the life course among males compared with females and are stronger until midlife, particularly for key atherogenic lipids. Adolescent and young adult males may therefore be high priority targets for obesity prevention efforts.

Author(s): Joshua A. Bell 1,2,*, Kaitlin H. Wade 1,2, Linda M. O'Keeffe 1,2,3, David Carslake 1,2, Emma E. Vincent 1,2,4, Michael V. Holmes 1,2,5,6,7, Nicholas J. Timpson 1,2, George Davey [...], Background The potential benefits of gaining body muscle for cardiovascular disease (CVD) susceptibility, and how these compare with the potential harms of gaining body fat, are unknown. We compared associations of early life changes in body lean mass and handgrip strength versus body fat mass with atherogenic traits measured in young adulthood. Methods and findings Data were from 3,227 offspring of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (39% male; recruited in 1991-1992). Limb lean and total fat mass indices (kg/m.sup.2) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans performed at age 10, 13, 18, and 25 y (across clinics occurring from 2001-2003 to 2015-2017). Handgrip strength was measured at 12 and 25 y, expressed as maximum grip (kg or lb/in.sup.2) and relative grip (maximum grip/weight in kilograms). Linear regression models were used to examine associations of change in standardised measures of these exposures across different stages of body development with 228 cardiometabolic traits measured at age 25 y including blood pressure, fasting insulin, and metabolomics-derived apolipoprotein B lipids. SD-unit gain in limb lean mass index from 10 to 25 y was positively associated with atherogenic traits including very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides. This pattern was limited to lean gain in legs, whereas lean gain in arms was inversely associated with traits including VLDL triglycerides, insulin, and glycoprotein acetyls, and was also positively associated with creatinine (a muscle product and positive control). Furthermore, this pattern for arm lean mass index was specific to SD-unit gains occurring between 13 and 18 y, e.g., -0.13 SD (95% CI -0.22, -0.04) for VLDL triglycerides. Changes in maximum and relative grip from 12 to 25 y were both positively associated with creatinine, but only change in relative grip was also inversely associated with atherogenic traits, e.g., -0.12 SD (95% CI -0.18, -0.06) for VLDL triglycerides per SD-unit gain. Change in fat mass index from 10 to 25 y was more strongly associated with atherogenic traits including VLDL triglycerides, at 0.45 SD (95% CI 0.39, 0.52); these estimates were directionally consistent across sub-periods, with larger effect sizes with more recent gains. Associations of lean, grip, and fat measures with traits were more pronounced among males. Study limitations include potential residual confounding of observational estimates, including by ectopic fat within muscle, and the absence of grip measures in adolescence for estimates of grip change over sub-periods. Conclusions In this study, we found that muscle strengthening, as indicated by grip strength gain, was weakly associated with lower atherogenic trait levels in young adulthood, at a smaller magnitude than unfavourable associations of fat mass gain. Associations of muscle mass gain with such traits appear to be smaller and limited to gains occurring in adolescence. These results suggest that body muscle is less robustly associated with markers of CVD susceptibility than body fat and may therefore be a lower-priority intervention target.

Introduction Maternal behaviours and experiences around the time of pregnancy have a significant impact on maternal and child health across the life course [1-9]. In Ireland, although some adverse lifestyle [...], To describe response rates and characteristics associated with response to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System study in Ireland (PRAMS Ireland). Using hospital discharge records of live births at a large, urban, obstetric hospital, a sampling frame of approximately 2,400 mother-infant pairs were used to alternately sample 1,200 women. Mothers' information including name, address, parity, age and infant characteristics such as sex and gestational age at delivery were extracted from records. Modes of contact included an invitation letter with option to opt out of the study, three mail surveys, a reminder letter and text message reminder for remaining non-respondents. Sixty-one per cent of women responded to the PRAMS Ireland survey over a 133 day response period. Women aged Keywords Surveillance * Behaviors * Experiences * Pregnancy * Methods

Background: Mitochondria are organelles responsible for converting glucose into energy. Mitochondrial DNA is exclusively maternally inherited. The role of mitochondrial DNA haplogroups in the aetiology of cardiometabolic disease risk is not well understood. Methods: Sex-specific associations between common European mitochondrial DNA haplogroups (H, U, J, T, K, V, W, I and X) and trajectories of cardiometabolic risk factors from birth to 18 years were examined in a prospective cohort. Cardiometabolic risk factors measured from birth/mid-childhood to 18 years included body mass index (BMI), fat and lean mass, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), non-HDL-c and triglycerides. Fractional polynomial and linear spline multilevel models explored the sex-specific association between haplogroups and risk factor trajectories. Results: Among a total of 7,954 participants with 79,178 repeated measures per outcome, we found no evidence that haplogroups U, T, J, K and W were associated with cardiometabolic risk factors compared to haplogroup H. In females, haplogroup V was associated with 4.0% (99% CI: -7.5, -0.6) lower BMI at age one but associations did not persist at age 18. Haplogroup X was associated with 1.3kg (99% CI: -2.5, -0.2) lower lean mass at age 9 which persisted at 18. Haplogroup V and X were associated with 9.3% (99% CI: -0.4, 19.0) and 16.4% (99% CI: -0.5,33.3) lower fat mass at age 9, respectively, although confidence intervals spanned the null and associations did not persist at 18. In males, haplogroup I was associated with 2.4% (99% CI: -0.5, 5.3) higher BMI at age 7; widening to 5.1% (99% CI: -0.5, 10.6) at 18 with confidence intervals spanning the null. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated little evidence of sex-specific associations between mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and cardiometabolic risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: To examine the association between maternal metabolic parameters in pregnancy and growth trajectories up to 5 years of age. Methods: Data from mother–child pairs who participated in the ROLO study, a randomized trial examining the impact of a low glycaemic index diet on the recurrence of macrosomia, were analysed. Fetal and child growth trajectories were developed from longitudinal measurements from 20 weeks gestation up to 5 years of age. We examined associations between maternal fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA‐IR and leptin, taken in early pregnancy (14–16 weeks) and late pregnancy (28 weeks), and weight (kg) and abdominal circumference (cm) trajectories using linear spline multilevel models. Results: We found no strong evidence of associations between any maternal metabolic parameters and fetal to childhood weight and abdominal circumference trajectories from 20 weeks gestation to 5 years. Conclusion: In a cohort of women with obesity with infants at risk of macrosomia, maternal metabolic markers were not strongly associated with trajectories of weight or abdominal circumference from 20 weeks gestation to 5 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]