Medical Specialties Commons^™

Physical Activity And Fat-Free Mass During Growth And In Later Life, Klaas R Westerterp, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Philip N Ainslie, Lene F Andersen, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issaad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G Bonomi, Carlijn V C Bouten, Pascal Bovet, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Sai K Das, Richard Cooper, Lara R Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Kitty P Kempen, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Corby K Martin, Anine C Medin, Erwin P Meijer, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Roberto A Rabinovich, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Rebecca M Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Albertine J Schuit, Anders M Sjödin, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Giulio Valenti, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar A Van Mil, Jonathan C K Wells, George Wilson, Brian M Wood, Jack Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Herman Pontzer, Jennifer Rood, Dale A Schoeller, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Physical activity may be a way to increase and maintain fat-free mass (FFM) in later life, similar to the prevention of fractures by increasing peak bone mass.

OBJECTIVES: A study is presented of the association between FFM and physical activity in relation to age.

METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, FFM was analyzed in relation to physical activity in a large participant group as compiled in the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water database. The database included 2000 participants, age 3-96 y, with measurements of total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting energy expenditure (REE) to allow calculation of physical …

Dna Methylation At A Nutritionally Sensitive Region Of The Pax8 Gene Is Associated With Thyroid Volume And Function In Gambian Children, Toby Candler, Noah J Kessler, Chathura J Gunasekara, Kate A Ward, Philip James, Eleonora Laritsky, Maria S Baker, Roger Dyer, Rajavel Elango, David Jeffries, Robert A Waterland, Sophie E Moore, Marian Ludgate, Andrew M Prentice, Matt J Silver

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

PAX8 is a key thyroid transcription factor implicated in thyroid gland differentiation and function, and PAX8 gene methylation is reported to be sensitive to the periconceptional environment. Using a novel recall-by-epigenotype study in Gambian children, we found that PAX8 hypomethylation at age 2 years is associated with a 21% increase in thyroid volume and an increase in free thyroxine (T4) at 5 to 8 years, the latter equivalent to 8.4% of the normal range. Free T4 was associated with a decrease in DXA-derived body fat and bone mineral density. Furthermore, offspring PAX8 methylation was associated with periconceptional maternal nutrition, and …

Energy Compensation And Adiposity In Humans, Vincent Careau, Lewis G Halsey, Herman Pontzer, Philip N Ainslie, Lene F Andersen, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G Bonomi, Carlijn V C Bouten, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Richard Cooper, Lara R Dugas, Simon D Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Kitty P Kempen, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Corby K Martin, Anine C Medin, Erwin P Meijer, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Roberto A Rabinovich, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, John J Reilly, Rebecca M Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Albertine J Schuit, Anders M Sjödin, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Giulio Valenti, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar A Van Mil, Jonathan C K Wells, George Wilson, Brian M Wood, Jack Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Jennifer Rood, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Dale A Schoeller, William W Wong, Yosuke Yamada, John R Speakman, Iaea Dlw Database Group

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Understanding the impacts of activity on energy balance is crucial. Increasing levels of activity may bring diminishing returns in energy expenditure because of compensatory responses in non-activity energy expenditures.

Precision Food Parenting: A Proposed Conceptual Model And Research Agenda, Tom Baranowski, Debbe Thompson, Sheryl O Hughes, Teresia M O'Connor

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Precision medicine, nutrition and behavioral interventions are attempting to move beyond the specification of therapies applied to groups, since some people benefit, some do not and some are harmed by the same therapy. Instead, precision therapies are attempting to employ diverse sets of data to individualize or tailor interventions to optimize the benefits for the receiving individuals. The benefits to be achieved are mostly in the distant future, but the research needs to start now. While precision pediatric nutrition will combine diverse demographic, behavioral and biological variables to specify the optimal foods a child should eat to optimize health, precision …

Free-Floating Immunostaining Of Mouse Brains, Longlong Tu, Nan Zhang, Kristine M Conde, Jonathan C Bean, Chunmei Wang, Yong Xu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Immunohistochemical staining of mouse brains is a routine technique commonly used in neuroscience to investigate central mechanisms underlying the regulation of energy metabolism and other neurobiological processes. However, the quality, reliability, and reproducibility of brain histology results may vary among laboratories. For each staining experiment, it is necessary to optimize the key procedures based on differences in species, tissues, targeted proteins, and the working conditions of the reagents. This paper demonstrates a reliable workflow in detail, including intra-aortic perfusion, brain sectioning, free-floating immunostaining, tissue mounting, and imaging, which can be followed easily by researchers in this field.

Also discussed are …

A Guide For Authors And Readers Of The American Society For Nutrition Journals On The Proper Use Of P Values And Strategies That Promote Transparency And Improve Research Reproducibility, John D Sorkin, Mark Manary, Paul A M Smeets, Amanda J Macfarlane, Arne Astrup, Ronald L Prigeon, Beth B Hogans, Jack Odle, Teresa A Davis, Katherine L Tucker, Christopher P Duggan, Deirdre K Tobias

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Two questions regarding the scientific literature have become grist for public discussion: 1) what place should P values have in reporting the results of studies? 2) How should the perceived difficulty in replicating the results reported in published studies be addressed? We consider these questions to be 2 sides of the same coin; failing to address them can lead to an incomplete or incorrect message being sent to the reader. If P values (which are derived from the estimate of the effect size and a measure of the precision of the estimate of the effect) are used improperly, for example …

Activation Of The Innate Immune System In Children With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Evidenced By Increased Fecal Human Β-Defensin-2, Robert J Shulman, Sridevi Devaraj, Margaret Heitkemper

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background & aims: The role of the innate immune system in functional gastrointestinal pain disorders is unclear. We investigated the role of β-defensin-2 and gut permeability in childhood irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain (FAP) symptom generation.

Methods: Fecal β-defensin-2 (and in a subset, gut permeability) was measured in children with IBS (n = 116), FAP (n = 33), and healthy control (HC) children (n = 72). IBS and FAP patients were recruited from tertiary and primary care, and HCs were recruited from primary care.

Results: β-defensin-2 concentration was greater in children with IBS (P = .003) and …

Development Of Food Pattern Recommendations For Infants And Toddlers 6-24 Months Of Age To Support The Dietary Guidelines For Americans, 2020-2025, Kathryn G Dewey, Tusarebecca Pannucci, Kellie O Casavale, Teresa A Davis, Sharon M Donovan, Ronald E Kleinman, Elsie M Taveras, Regan L Bailey, Rachel Novotny, Barbara O Schneeman, Jamie Stang, Janet De Jesus, Eve E Stoody

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Developing food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) for infants and toddlers is a complex task that few countries have attempted.

Objectives: Our objectives are to describe the process of food pattern modeling (FPM) conducted to develop FBDGs for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 for infants 6 to <12 mo and toddlers 12 to <24 mo of age, as well as the implications of the results and areas needing further work.

Methods: The US 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, with the support of federal staff, conducted FPM analyses using 5 steps: 1) identified energy intake targets; 2) established nutritional goals; 3) identified food groupings and expected amounts, using 3 options for the amount of energy from human milk in each age interval; 4) estimated …

Dietary Saturated Fats And Health: Are The Us Guidelines Evidence-Based?, Arne Astrup, Nina Teicholz, Faidon Magkos, Dennis M Bier, J Thomas Brenna, Janet C King, Andrew Mente, José M Ordovas, Jeff S Volek, Salim Yusuf, Ronald M Krauss

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The last decade has seen nearly 20 papers reviewing the totality of the data on saturated fats and cardiovascular outcomes, which, altogether, have demonstrated a lack of rigorous evidence to support continued recommendations either to limit the consumption of saturated fatty acids or to replace them with polyunsaturated fatty acids. These papers were unfortunately not considered by the process leading to the most recent U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the country's national nutrition policy, which recently reconfirmed its recommendation to limit saturated fats to 10% or less of total energy intake, based on insufficient and inconsistent evidence. Continuation of a …

The Concurrence Of Dna Methylation And Demethylation Is Associated With Transcription Regulation, Jiejun Shi, Jianfeng Xu, Yiling Elaine Chen, Jason Sheng Li, Ya Cui, Lanlan Shen, Jingyi Jessica Li, Wei Li

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The mammalian DNA methylome is formed by two antagonizing processes, methylation by DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) and demethylation by ten-eleven translocation (TET) dioxygenases. Although the dynamics of either methylation or demethylation have been intensively studied in the past decade, the direct effects of their interaction on gene expression remain elusive. Here, we quantify the concurrence of DNA methylation and demethylation by the percentage of unmethylated CpGs within a partially methylated read from bisulfite sequencing. After verifying 'methylation concurrence' by its strong association with the co-localization of DNMT and TET enzymes, we observe that methylation concurrence is strongly correlated with gene expression. …

Intermittent Bolus Compared With Continuous Feeding Enhances Insulin And Amino Acid Signaling To Translation Initiation In Skeletal Muscle Of Neonatal Pigs, Agus Suryawan, Samer W El-Kadi, Hanh V Nguyen, Marta L Fiorotto, Teresa A Davis

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Nutrition administered as intermittent bolus feeds rather than continuously promotes greater protein synthesis rates in skeletal muscle and enhances lean growth in a neonatal piglet model. The molecular mechanisms responsible remain unclear.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the insulin- and/or amino acid-signaling components involved in the enhanced stimulation of skeletal muscle by intermittent bolus compared to continuous feeding in neonatal pigs born at term.

Methods: Term piglets (2-3 days old) were fed equal amounts of sow milk replacer [12.8 g protein and 155 kcal/(kg body weight · d)] by orogastric tube as intermittent bolus meals every 4 hours (INT) …

Multisite Pain Is Highly Prevalent In Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders And Is Associated With Increased Morbidity, Bruno P Chumpitazi, Tonya M Palermo, John M Hollier, Mariella M Self, Danita Czyzewski, Erica M Weidler, Margaret Heitkemper, Robert J Shulman

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objectives: To characterize the types of multisite pain experienced by children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) and to examine differences in psychosocial distress, functional disability, and health-related quality of life in children with multisite pain vs abdominal pain alone.

Study design: Cross-sectional study of children ages 7-17 years (n = 406) with pediatric Rome III FAPDs recruited from both primary and tertiary care between January 2009 and June 2018. Subjects completed 14-day pain and stool diaries, as well as validated questionnaires assessing abdominal and nonabdominal pain symptoms, anxiety, depression, functional disability, and health-related quality of life.

Results: In total, …

The Role Of Gip Receptor In The Cns For The Pathogenesis Of Obesity, Makoto Fukuda

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) (also known as gastric inhibitory polypeptide) is a hormone produced in the upper gut and secreted to the circulation in response to the ingestion of foods, especially fatty foods. Growing evidence supports the physiological and pharmacological relevance of GIP in obesity. In an obesity setting, inhibition of endogenous GIP or its receptor leads to decreased energy intake, increased energy expenditure, or both, eventually causing weight loss. Further, supraphysiological dosing of exogenous long-lasting GIP agonists alters energy balance and has a marked antiobesity effect. This remarkable yet paradoxical antiobesity effect is suggested to occur primarily via the …

Opportunities To Address Obesity Disparities Among High-Risk Latino Children And Adolescents, Erica G Soltero, Teresia M O'Connor, Deborah Thompson, Gabriel Q Shaibi

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Purpose of review: This review highlights obesity-related disparities among Latino children and adolescents, discusses the social determinants of health (SDoH) that drive disparities, and presents case studies of strategies for reducing disparities and promoting health equity.

Recent findings: Recommended strategies for reducing obesity-related disparities include the use of culturally grounded programming, multi-sector collaborations, and technology. We present two exemplar studies that demonstrate that integrating cultural values and enhancing the overall cultural fit of prevention programs can increase engagement among high-risk Latino families. We also examine the use of multi-sector collaborations to build community capacity and address key SDoH that impact …

Theoretical Mediators Of Diabetes Risk And Quality Of Life Following A Diabetes Prevention Program For Latino Youth With Obesity, Erica G Soltero, Stephanie L Ayers, Marvyn A Avalos, Armando Peña, Allison N Williams, Micah L Olson, Yolanda P Konopken, Felipe G Castro, Kimberly J Arcoleo, Colleen S Keller, Donald L Patrick, Justin Jager, Gabriel Q Shaibi

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Purpose: This study tested self-efficacy and social support for activity and dietary changes as mediators of changes in type 2 diabetes related outcomes following a lifestyle intervention among Latino youth.

Setting and intervention: Latino adolescents (14-16 years) with obesity (BMI% = 98.1 ± 1.4) were randomized to a 3-month intervention (n = 67) that fostered self-efficacy and social support through weekly, family-centered sessions or a comparison condition (n = 69).

Measures: Primary outcomes included insulin sensitivity and weight specific quality of life. Mediators included self-efficacy, friend, and family social support for health behaviors. Data was collected at baseline, 3-months, 6-months, …

Challenges In Feeding Children Posed By The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Of Changes In Dietary Intake Combined With A Dietitian's Perspective, Heather Campbell, Alexis C Wood

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Purpose of review: To examine the evidence that the dietary quality of children changed between the period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year during the pandemic.

Recent findings: A systematic review of the evidence for dietary changes occurring as a result of the pandemic-related restrictions, in Part I of this article, yielded 38 original research articles. These articles had conflicting results, some describing improvements in overall quality and some describing deteriorations. As a whole the studies were characterized by a low study quality, and children were poorly represented. Taken together, these studies do not provide enough evidence to …

Tcf7l2 Genetic Variants Do Not Influence Insulin Sensitivity Or Secretion Indices In Autoantibody-Positive Individuals At Risk For Type 1 Diabetes, Maria J Redondo, Megan V Warnock, Ingrid M Libman, Laura E Bocchino, David Cuthbertson, Susan Geyer, Alberto Pugliese, Andrea K Steck, Carmella Evans-Molina, Dorothy Becker, Jay M Sosenko, Fida Bacha, Type 1 Diabetes Trialnet Study Group

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: We aimed to test whether type 2 diabetes (T2D)-associated TCF7L2 genetic variants affect insulin sensitivity or secretion in autoantibody-positive relatives at risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Research design and methods: We studied autoantibody-positive TrialNet Pathway to Prevention study participants (N = 1,061) (mean age 16.3 years) with TCF7L2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) information and baseline oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to calculate indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion. With Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, P values < 0.0086 were considered statistically significant.

Results: None, one, and two T2D-linked TCF7L2 alleles were present in 48.1%, 43.9%, and 8.0% of the participants, respectively. Insulin sensitivity …

Correcting For Sparsity And Interdependence In Glycomics By Accounting For Glycan Biosynthesis, Bokan Bao, Benjamin P Kellman, Austin W T Chiang, Yujie Zhang, James T Sorrentino, Austin K York, Mahmoud A Mohammad, Morey W Haymond, Lars Bode, Nathan E Lewis

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Glycans are fundamental cellular building blocks, involved in many organismal functions. Advances in glycomics are elucidating the essential roles of glycans. Still, it remains challenging to properly analyze large glycomics datasets, since the abundance of each glycan is dependent on many other glycans that share many intermediate biosynthetic steps. Furthermore, the overlap of measured glycans can be low across samples. We address these challenges with GlyCompare, a glycomic data analysis approach that accounts for shared biosynthetic steps for all measured glycans to correct for sparsity and non-independence in glycomics, which enables direct comparison of different glycoprofiles and increases statistical power. …

Daily Energy Expenditure Through The Human Life Course, Herman Pontzer, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Philip N Ainslie, Lene F Andersen, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issaad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G Bonomi, Carlijn V C Bouten, Pascal Bovet, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G Camps, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Lara R Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marjije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Kitty P Kempen, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Corby Martin, Anine C Medin, Erwin P Meijer, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Marian L Neuhouser, Teresa A Nicklas, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Roberto A Rabinovich, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Rebecca M Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Albertine J Schuit, Anders M Sjödin, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Giulio Valenti, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar A Van Mil, Jonathan C K Wells, George Wilson, Brian M Wood, Jack Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Cornelia Loechl, Amy H Luke, Jennifer Rood, Dale A Schoeller, Klaas R Westerterp, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Total daily energy expenditure (“total expenditure”, MJ/d) reflects daily energy needs and is a critical variable in human health and physiology, yet it is unclear how daily expenditure changes over the life course. Here, we analyze a large, globally diverse database of total expenditure measured by the doubly labeled water method for males and females aged 8 days to 95 yr. We show that total expenditure is strongly related to fat free mass in a power-law manner and identify four distinct metabolic life stages. Fat free mass-adjusted daily expenditure accelerates rapidly in neonates (0-1yr) to ~46% above adult values at …

Simple Energy Balance Or Microbiome For Childhood Obesity Prevention?, Tom Baranowski, Kathleen J Motil

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Obesity prevention interventions generally have either not worked or had effects inadequate to mitigate the problem. They have been predicated on the simple energy balance model, which has been severely questioned by biological scientists. Numerous other etiological mechanisms have been proposed, including the intestinal microbiome, which has been related to childhood obesity in numerous ways. Public health research is needed in regard to diet and the microbiome, which hopefully will lead to effective child obesity prevention.

Monogenic Diabetes In Youth With Presumed Type 2 Diabetes: Results From The Progress In Diabetes Genetics In Youth (Prodigy) Collaboration, Jennifer N Todd, Jeffrey W Kleinberger, Haichen Zhang, Shylaja Srinivasan, Sherida E Tollefsen, Lynne L Levitsky, Lorraine E Levitt Katz, Jeanie B Tryggestad, Fida Bacha, Giuseppina Imperatore, Jean M Lawrence, Catherine Pihoker, Jasmin Divers, Jason Flannick, Dana Dabelea, Jose C Florez, Toni I Pollin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is frequently misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Correct diagnosis may result in a change in clinical treatment and impacts prediction of complications and familial risk. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of MODY in multiethnic youth under age 20 years with a clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods: We evaluated whole-exome sequence data of youth with a clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. We considered participants to have MODY if they carried a MODY gene variant classified as likely pathogenic (LP) or pathogenic …

Family-Based Obesity Prevention Interventions Among Hispanic Children And Families: A Scoping Review, Erica G Soltero, Armando Peña, Veronica Gonzalez, Edith Hernandez, Guisela Mackey, Chishinga Callender, Jayna M Dave, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

This scoping review examined intervention and sample characteristics of family-based obesity prevention interventions among Hispanic youth. This review also examined the degree to which existing interventions were culturally-adapted, acknowledged social determinants of health (SDoH), and collaborated with community stakeholders. A comprehensive search across Medline Ovid, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Pubmed was used to identify 13 studies primarily based in the U.S. (92.3%). Data was extracted by two independent reviewers. Most used a randomized control trial design (69.2%), a behavior change theory (84.6%), and reported moderate to high (≥70%) retention (69.2%). Studies targeted improvements in physical activity (69.2%) and fruit and …

A Machine Learning Case-Control Classifier For Schizophrenia Based On Dna Methylation In Blood, Chathura J Gunasekara, Eilis Hannon, Harry Mackay, Cristian Coarfa, Andrew Mcquillin, David St Clair, Jonathan Mill, Robert A Waterland

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Epigenetic dysregulation is thought to contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ), but the cell type-specificity of DNA methylation makes population-based epigenetic studies of SZ challenging. To train an SZ case–control classifier based on DNA methylation in blood, therefore, we focused on human genomic regions of systemic interindividual epigenetic variation (CoRSIVs), a subset of which are represented on the Illumina Human Methylation 450K (HM450) array. HM450 DNA methylation data on whole blood of 414 SZ cases and 433 non-psychiatric controls were used as training data for a classification algorithm with built-in feature selection, sparse partial least squares discriminate analysis (SPLS-DA); …

Pedsql™ Gastroparesis Symptoms Module Domain And Item Development: Qualitative Methods, James W Varni, Robert J Shulman, Mariella M Self, Liz Febo-Rodriguez, Heather Charron, Kent Williams, Sam Nurko, Rachel L Rosen, Bruno P Chumpitazi

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objectives: Like adults, children suffer from gastroparesis; however, there are currently no validated instruments to determine the impact of gastroparesis in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to develop the items and domains to support the content validity of the new Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) Gastroparesis Symptoms Module.

Methods: Patients were recruited from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Pediatric Gastroparesis Registry. The qualitative methods involved an iterative process comprising a literature review of existing questionnaires and gastroparesis clinical research, an expert review panel of pediatric gastroenterologists who provided feedback on the …

Recommendations For The Use Of The Veggie Meter® For Spectroscopy-Based Skin Carotenoid Measurements In The Research Setting, Marcela D Radtke, Mykaela Poe, Jodi Stookey, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Nancy E Moran, Matthew J Landry, Lewis P Rubin, Virginia C Stage, Rachel E Scherr

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Carotenoids are a class of phytochemical compounds found in a variety of fruits and vegetables (F/V) and, therefore, are commonly used as a biomarker for F/V intake. The Veggie Meter® is a noninvasive research-grade instrument that detects and quantifies carotenoids in the skin. To determine current practices and examine variability among users, a survey was administered to researchers using the device (n = 19, response rate = 35.8%) and variation in anatomical site preparation, calibration, number of measurements, measurement site, and documentation was observed. A protocol was developed in partnership with Veggie Meter® users to outline the preparation, calibration, …

Impact Of Amerind Ancestry And Fads Genetic Variation On Omega-3 Deficiency And Cardiometabolic Traits In Hispanic Populations, Chaojie Yang, Brian Hallmark, Jin Choul Chai, Timothy D O'Connor, Lindsay M Reynolds, Alexis C Wood, Michael Seeds, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Lyn M Steffen, Michael Y Tsai, Robert C Kaplan, Martha L Daviglus, Lawrence J Mandarino, Amanda M Fretts, Rozenn N Lemaitre, Dawn K Coletta, Sarah A Blomquist, Laurel M Johnstone, Chandra Tontsch, Qibin Qi, Ingo Ruczinski, Stephen S Rich, Rasika A Mathias, Floyd H Chilton, Ani Manichaikul

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) have critical signaling roles that regulate dyslipidemia and inflammation. Genetic variation in the FADS gene cluster accounts for a large portion of interindividual differences in circulating and tissue levels of LC-PUFAs, with the genotypes most strongly predictive of low LC-PUFA levels at strikingly higher frequencies in Amerind ancestry populations. In this study, we examined relationships between genetic ancestry and FADS variation in 1102 Hispanic American participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We demonstrate strong negative associations between Amerind genetic ancestry and LC-PUFA levels. The FADS rs174537 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) accounted for much …

Potential Benefits Of Bovine Colostrum In Pediatric Nutrition And Health, Per Torp Sangild, Caitlin Vonderohe, Valeria Melendez Hebib, Douglas G Burrin

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Bovine colostrum (BC), the first milk produced from cows after parturition, is increasingly used as a nutritional supplement to promote gut function and health in other species, including humans. The high levels of whey and casein proteins, immunoglobulins (Igs), and other milk bioactives in BC are adapted to meet the needs of newborn calves. However, BC supplementation may improve health outcomes across other species, especially when immune and gut functions are immature in early life. We provide a review of BC composition and its effects in infants and children in health and selected diseases (diarrhea, infection, growth-failure, preterm birth, necrotizing …

Feasibility And Efficacy Of The "Funpals Playgroup" Intervention To Improve Toddler Dietary And Activity Behaviors: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Aliye B Cepni, Ashley Taylor, Christine Crumbley, Debbe Thompson, Nancy E Moran, Norma Olvera, Daniel P O'Connor, Katherine R Arlinghaus, Craig A Johnston, Tracey A Ledoux

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

This study evaluated the feasibility and effects of the Families Understanding Nutrition and Physically Active Lifestyles (FUNPALs) Playgroup on toddler (12–36-month-old) diet and activity behaviors. Parent–toddler dyads were recruited from disadvantaged communities and randomly assigned to receive 10-weekly sessions of the FUNPALs Playgroup (n = 24) or dose-matched health education control group (n = 26). FUNPALs Playgroups involved physical and snack activities, delivery of health information, and positive parenting coaching. The control group involved group health education for parents only. Process outcomes (e.g., retention rate, fidelity) and focus groups determined feasibility and perceived effects. To evaluate preliminary effects, …

Later Sleep Timing Predicts Accelerated Summer Weight Gain Among Elementary School Children: A Prospective Observational Study, Jennette P Moreno, Javad Razjouyan, Houston Lester, Hafza Dadabhoy, Mona Amirmazaheri, Layton Reesor-Oyer, Teresia M O'Connor, Daphne C Hernandez, Bijan Najafi, Candice A Alfano, Stephanie J Crowley, Debbe Thompson, Tom Baranowski

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objectives and background: Social demands of the school-year and summer environment may affect children's sleep patterns and circadian rhythms during these periods. The current study examined differences in children's sleep and circadian-related behaviors during the school-year and summer and explored the association between sleep and circadian parameters and change in body mass index (BMI) during these time periods.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study with 119 children ages 5 to 8 years with three sequential BMI assessments: early school-year (fall), late school-year (spring), and beginning of the following school-year in Houston, Texas, USA. Sleep midpoint, sleep duration, variability of …

Body Composition Changes In Children During Treatment For Moderate Acute Malnutrition: Findings From A 4-Arm Cluster-Randomized Trial In Sierra Leone, Devika J Suri, Isabel Potani, Akriti Singh, Stacy Griswold, William W Wong, Breanne Langlois, Ye Shen, Kwan Ho Kenneth Chui, Irwin H Rosenberg, Patrick Webb, Beatrice L Rogers

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Measures that better describe "healthy" and sustainable recovery during nutritional treatment of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are needed.

Objectives: We compared changes to body composition among children receiving 1 of 4 specialized nutritious food (SNFs) during treatment of MAM and by recovery and relapse outcomes.

Methods: The study was nested within a prospective, cluster-randomized, community-based, cost-effectiveness trial assessing 4 SNFs to treat children aged 6-59 mo with MAM [midupper arm circumference (MUAC) ≥11.5 cm and <12.5 cm without bipedal edema] in Sierra Leone. Biweekly SNF rations (1 of 3 fortified-blended foods or a lipid-based nutrient supplement) were given until children recovered (MUAC ≥12.5 cm), or up to 7 rations (∼12 wk). Deuterium dilution was used to estimate fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) at enrollment and after 4 wk of treatment to ensure similar treatment exposure among the participants. Another MUAC measurement was performed among recovered children 4 wk after program exit to determine whether recovery was sustained. ANOVA, paired t tests, and linear regression models were used to determine significant differences in changes from baseline to 4 wk.

Results: Among 312 analyzed participants, mean baseline weight comprised ∼80% FFM; mean weight gained after 4 wk comprised ∼82% FFM. Changes in …