PURPOSE:Understanding factors influencing clinical biomarkers is important for the prevention of chronic disease. This study aimed to estimate transitions of biomarker status from childhood to adolescence and to identify determinants of biomarker status in early life in a prospective children cohort. SUBJECTS AND METHODS:Our sample comprised 1295 children participating in the baseline (2007/08) and second follow-up examination (2013/14) of the multi-center IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS)/I.Family study. Clinical blood biomarkers including glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), triglycerides, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, ferritin, leptin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were repeatedly measured in 2007/2008 (age range: 3.0 to <10.0 years) and in 2013/2014. Latent transition analysis was used to estimate biomarker statuses and transition probabilities; determinants of biomarker status were estimated using mixed-effects models. RESULTS:Four distinct biomarker statuses were identified: (1) "normal" (all biomarkers low/medium; except HDL-cholesterol; reference), (2) "low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c", (3) "dyslipidemia/high leptin" and (4) "inflammation". Children classified as "low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c" at baseline were most likely to stay in this status (89.8%) or to change to the "normal" status (10%) during follow-up. Compared to "normal" children, children classified as "low leptin/IGF-1/HbA1c" were less likely to have a family history of diabetes (0.26 [0.08;0.86]; odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval) or hypertension (0.53 [0.29;0.99]) and the children (0.32 [0.27;0.38]) as well as their mothers (0.93 [0.88;0.98]) had a lower BMI. Children from families with low/medium education had a 55% [9%-119%] higher risk of being in the "dyslipidemia/high leptin" and 49% [1%-121%] higher risk of being in the "inflammation" status as compared to children in the "normal" status. Membership in a sports club reduced the latter risks by 28% [2%-47%] and 40% [17%-56%], respectively. CONCLUSIONS:European children showed distinct phenotypes for the investigated biomarkers. Especially parental characteristics like a family history of diabetes or hypertension, a high maternal BMI, or low/medium education were associated with unfavorable biomarker status in children.
IntroductionPlant-based dietary patterns may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, but their benefits and risks in younger populations remain unclear due to variations in diet quality and nutrient adequacy. Robust tools to assess adherence to these patterns are essential. The aim of this study was to develop and validate three plant-based diet propensity (PBDP) scores - overall, healthy and unhealthy - to capture plant-based dietary patterns and assess their associations with nutrient intakes and health indicators in children, adolescents and adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study of children, adolescents and adults used data from the I.Family study (n = 15,780 participants) from eight European countries. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The overall PBDP score was constructed by categorising all plant-based food groups as positive and animal-based food groups as negative. The healthy PBDP emphasised healthy plant-based food groups, whereas the unhealthy PBDP emphasised less healthy plant-based food groups. Validity was assessed through correlations with nutrient intakes and comparison across demographic groups. Associations with health indicators were also analysed.ResultsPBDP scores showed expected associations with nutrient intakes. Higher overall and healthy PBDP scores were observed in females, adults, individuals with higher parental educational levels and those from Belgium and Spain. The healthy PBDP score was associated with higher HDL cholesterol, improved bone stiffness and lower triglycerides. The unhealthy PBDP score was associated with lower HDL cholesterol in adults, but not in children or adolescents.ConclusionPBDP scores describe plant-based dietary patterns across demographic groups and are valid and reliable in adults. The findings highlight challenges in assessing dietary patterns in children and adolescents. Future research should address these challenges to enhance the validity of PBDP scores in younger populations and further explore their potential in guiding dietary recommendations across all age groups.
The behavior and function of membrane microdomains is shaped by the intricate liaison between the most complex glycosphingolipids-gangliosides, cholesterol and specific classes of transmembrane proteins. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), a pattern recognition receptor localized in lipid rafts, is implicated in different membrane-associated events, some of which overlap between gangliosides and TLR2, such as pathogen recognition and neuroinflammation. Aiming to determine whether TLR2 deficiency influences on the composition and arrangement of membrane lipids, we examined cortical tissue of TLR2-deficient and control mice by in-depth glycolipidomic profiling along with transcriptomic analysis of genes involved in ganglioside and cholesterol metabolism. A multi-level experimental approach, including powerful high-resolution mass spectrometry techniques, provided a detailed lipidomic data and elaborate structural characterization of brain gangliosidome and sterolome in TLR2 deficiency. The results demonstrate the presence of distinct brain glycolipidomic and sterol pattern as well as lipid redistribution within the membrane fractions in TLR2 deficiency. In addition, the findings speak in favor of a sex-specific structural and functional partnership of TLR2, gangliosides and cholesterol in the brain tissue that may act as a connection point integrating extracellular stimuli and modulating neuroimmune response in a sex-dependent manner.
It remains unclear how serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations relate to childhood bone health. We hypothesized that 25(OH)D was inversely associated with bone turnover biomarkers and positively associated with bone stiffness. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from participants (2-15-year-old, 51% boys) from the Identification and Prevention of Dietary- and Lifestyle-induced Health Effects in Children and Infants Study (IDEFICS)/I.Family cohort, comprising 3,638 serum 25(OH)D measurements collected in 2007-2008 and 2012-2013 across eight European countries. A biomarker of bone forma- tion (serum osteocalcin), a biomarker of bone resorption (serum C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen [CTx]), and stiffness index measured using calcaneal quantitative ultra- sound were considered outcomes. Linear mixed-effects models were used to adjust for con- founders (i.e., age, sex, parental education, time spent in sports club, dairy products con- sumption, sedentary behavior, height and weight z-scores), the cluster effect of country and repeated measurements. Interactions of calcium intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical ac- tivity (MVPA) and weight status with 25(OH)D on outcomes were tested. Only 1 in 3 partic- ipants reached the sufficient 25(OH) D concentration of 20 ng/mL. Sufficient 25(OH)D was associated with higher stiffness index if participants had MVPA >= 60 min/day (beta= 12.14, P < .05). Moreover, 25(OH)D was inversely associated with CTx (beta= -7.09, P < .05); this associa- tion was positive but not statistically significant among primary school children living with overweight/obesity. No interaction was observed for calcium intake. In conclusion, serum 25(OH)D and CTx were inversely associated. MVPA interacted with the positive association between 25(OH)D and bone stiffness, highlighting the importance of promoting MVPA guide- lines in future vitamin D and bone health interventions. (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
