Responsiveness of the Serum Carbon Isotope Ratio to Dietary Added Sugar Reduction in a Randomized Controlled Trial among Youth with Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background: The carbon isotope ratio (CIR) has been proposed as a biomarker for added sugar intake, but few studies have been conducted in youth, with data from controlled, feeding studies particularly lacking.

Objectives: This study aims to examine associations of added sugar intake with serum CIR in a randomized, controlled dietary sugar reduction intervention in youth.

Methods: Data were collected from 40 boys (11-16 y) with histologically diagnosed steatotic liver disease who completed a randomized controlled trial and were provided either a low-free sugar diet (<3% of calories from added sugar or juice) or usual diet for 8 wk.

Stress-induced developmental plasticity and spontaneous preterm birth: A justice-oriented eco-evo-devo review.

Spontaneous preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, with little global progress in prevention. Spontaneous preterm birth disproportionately affects communities marginalized by racism and socio-economic disadvantage. Maternal stress is a well-established risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth and is more prevalent in marginalized communities.

GLP-1R Polymorphisms Modify the Relationship Between Exposure to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Offspring BMI Growth: The EPOCH Study.

Objective: Exposure to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with childhood BMI. Among youth, we explored whether three different glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor gene (GLP-1R) polymorphisms modified the associations between 1) GDM and BMI trajectories and 2) GDM and markers of glucose-insulin homeostasis.

Research Design And Methods: For 464 participants from the Exploring Perinatal Outcomes Among Children (EPOCH) study, microarray genotyping was performed during childhood (∼10 years).

Neighborhood Vulnerability and Age of Natural Menopause and Menopausal Symptoms Among Midlife Women.

Importance: Women experiencing more severe menopausal symptoms exhibit poorer quality of life, and those with early menopause have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases. However, the extent to which neighborhood disadvantage contributes to menopause onset and symptom severity remains understudied.

Objective: To examine the association of Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) with age of natural menopause onset and menopausal symptom severity.

Maternal Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Pregnancy and Offspring Blood Pressure at Age 2 to 18 Years.

Importance: Higher blood pressure in early life may signal cardiovascular disease over the life course, but determinants of blood pressure in early life are poorly understood.

Objective: To examine the association of maternal cardiometabolic risk factors during pregnancy with offspring blood pressure from age 2 to 18 years and explore whether the association is modified by offspring sex and race and ethnicity.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study analyzed data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program between January 1, 1994, and March 31, 2023.

The Interplay of Dietary Choline and Methyl Donors in Modulating Maternal Inflammation: Insights from Project Viva.

Background: Inflammation during pregnancy is an important contributor to maternal and offspring morbidity and mortality. Evidence from both nonpregnant human and animal studies suggests that dietary choline can attenuate inflammation, but this has not yet been explored in human pregnancy.

Objectives: This study explored the cross-sectional associations between maternal mid-pregnancy dietary choline intake and inflammation biomarkers, specifically IL-6, tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP), while also examining the modifying effects of other methyl donor nutrients.

Physical Activity May Attenuate the Association of Early Adolescent Adiposity With PCOS Assessed in Later Adolescence: Findings From a Prospective Cohort, Project Viva.

Objective: To assess how moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may modify the association of early adolescent adiposity with late adolescent polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: Within the Project Viva prospective cohort, we assessed the association of body mass index z-score (BMIz) at early adolescence (mean age 13.1 years) with later PCOS (self-reported diagnosis or oligo-anovulation with clinical/biochemical hyperandrogenism) at mean age 17.

Prenatal and Perinatal Factors of Life's Essential 8 Cardiovascular Health Trajectories.

Importance: The American Heart Association put forth the Life's Essential 8 construct to assess cardiovascular health (CVH) based on 8 biological and behavioral factors. Few studies have identified prenatal and perinatal factors of CVH trajectories across childhood and adolescence, life stages where disease precursors and health behaviors are established.

Objective: To examine associations of prenatal and perinatal factors with child CVH trajectory.

Cardiometabolic trajectories across midlife in parous women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Compare cardiometabolic trajectories of 557 parous women with diagnosed, probable, and no polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) throughout 15-year follow-up (2002-2021). We defined PCOS status as: (1) clinically diagnosed; (2) probable: without diagnosis but ≥2 of the following: cycle length <21 or ≥35 days, free testosterone >75th percentile, or anti-Müllerian hormone >75th percentile; (3) no PCOS. Outcomes included longitudinal adiposity, blood pressure, lipids, glycemia, and adipokines.

BMI and Mortality: The Diabetes-Obesity Paradox Examined in a Large US Cohort.

Background/objectives: BMI is a major risk factor for diabetes incidence, but a controversial predictor of mortality among those with diabetes.

Subjects/methods: We conducted a mortality follow-up (2002-2019) of participants aged 40-79 with young-onset (diagnosed < age 30, n = 1335), older-onset (diagnosed ≥ 30, n = 15,194), and without (n = 62,295) diabetes at cohort entry. Cox analysis with age as the time scale assessing mortality according to BMI after adjusting for multiple potential confounding factors was used.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and epigenetic age acceleration in children.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in adults, but its impact on children remains less understood. This study analyzed data from 457 children (mean age: 7.9 years) in the Project Viva cohort (2007-2010, eastern Massachusetts, USA).

Associations of maternal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance plasma concentrations during pregnancy with offspring polycystic ovary syndrome and related characteristics in project viva.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may impact ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis, but whether prenatal exposure may impact offspring reproductive health is unknown. This study examines the extent to which maternal PFAS plasma concentrations during pregnancy are associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and related characteristics in female offspring.

Methods: We studied 322 mother-daughter pairs in Project Viva, a Boston-area longitudinal pre-birth cohort enrolled 1999-2002.

Associations of gestation length and offspring birthweight for gestational age with menopausal symptoms and age of natural menopause at midlife among women enrolled in a prebirth longitudinal cohort.

Objective: Reproductive history may help identify women at higher risk for experiencing menopausal symptoms. We hypothesized that gestation length and offspring birthweight for gestational age z-scores would be associated with menopausal symptoms and age at natural menopause in midlife among women in a longitudinal prebirth cohort.

Methods: Among 691 women enrolled in pregnancy and followed to midlife, we examined associations of gestation length and offspring birthweight for gestational age z-score at the index pregnancy with total menopausal symptoms assessed with the 11-item Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) using linear regression models, with individual menopausal symptoms using binomial regression models with a log link function, and with age at natural menopause using Cox proportional hazards models.

GLP-1R Gene Polymorphisms and Metabolic Traits During Childhood and Adolescence: The EPOCH Study.

Context: This is the first study to examine the association between variants of the glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor gene (GLP-1R) and metabolic characteristics among youth.

Objective: We explored separate associations of 3 GLP-1R polymorphisms (rs10305420, rs6923761, and rs1042044) with body mass index (BMI) trajectories and markers of glucose-insulin homeostasis.

Methods: Mixed models examined associations between GLP-1R polymorphisms and trajectories of BMI.

Trajectory of Cardiovascular Health Across Childhood and Adolescence.

Importance: The American Heart Association put forth the Life's Essential 8 construct to assess cardiovascular health (CVH) based on 8 behavioral and health factors. Few studies have characterized the natural history of CVH in early life or identified its sociodemographic determinants.

Objective: To characterize CVH trajectories across childhood and adolescence and identify associations with sociodemographic variables.

Impact of prenatal exposure to delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on birth size and postnatal growth trajectories.

Background: Prenatal exposure to cannabis (or more specifically, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol [Δ9-THC]) has been consistently linked to low birthweight. Animal models further show that Δ9-THC is associated with rapid postnatal growth. Whether this association is modified by breastfeeding is unknown.

The influence of early childhood education and care on the relation between early-life social adversity and children's mental health in the environmental influences for Child Health Outcomes Program.

Early adversity increases risk for child mental health difficulties. Stressors in the home environment (e.g.

The potential utility of cord blood DNA methylation in pediatric clinical practice.

Our understanding of the origins of noncommunicable diseases has evolved over the years with greater consideration given to the lasting influence exposures and experiences during the preconceptional and prenatal periods can have. Research highlights the associations of parental exposures (e.g.

Associations of Food Group Intakes with Serum Carbon Isotope Ratio Values in Youth: Results from 2 Prospective Pediatric Cohort Studies.

Background: The carbon isotope ratio (CIR) is a candidate biomarker for sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake in the United States. However, research specific to youth, who differ in their physiology and dietary patterns compared with adults, is lacking.

Objectives: We evaluated longitudinal associations of SSB intakes across childhood/adolescence with serum CIR.

The predictive utility of the in utero exposome for childhood adiposity in independent and integrated frameworks.

Objectives: To assess the predictive potential of the in utero exposome in relation to childhood adiposity as indicated by body mass index z-scores (BMIz) and the fourth versus first quartile of % fat mass (FM) at median age of 4.6 years.

Methods: We leveraged data on clinical risk factors for childhood obesity during the perinatal period, along with cord blood per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and cord blood DNA methylation, in 268 mother-offspring pairs.

Differentially methylated regions interrogated for metastable epialleles associate with offspring adiposity.

Assess if cord blood differentially methylated regions (DMRs) representing human metastable epialleles (MEs) associate with offspring adiposity in 588 maternal-infant dyads from the Colorado Health Start Study. DNA methylation was assessed via the Illumina 450K array (~439,500 CpG sites). Offspring adiposity was obtained via air displacement plethysmography.