The triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index is a simple marker of insulin resistance and metabolic risk, but whether it captures early β-cell vulnerability in children with obesity remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether TyG index is associated with indices of β-cell function and metabolic risk beyond the severity of obesity in children. This cross-sectional study included children/adolescents with obesity who underwent comprehensive metabolic evaluation, including oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT). Participants were stratified by TyG tertiles and conventional metabolic classifications. Insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and β-cell disposition indices were derived from OGTT data. Associations between TyG, body mass index (BMI) Z-score, and metabolic biomarkers were assessed using correlation, multivariate regression, and unsupervised clustering analyses. Despite comparable severity of obesity, children in the highest TyG tertile exhibited a markedly adverse metabolic profile, characterized by higher glycemic and hepatic markers and reduced insulin sensitivity. OGTT-derived indices showed lower insulin sensitivity and reduced secretion–sensitivity coupling with increasing TyG, while hybrid disposition index remained preserved across TyG tertiles. TyG showed broader and more robust associations with metabolic and β-cell-related indices than BMI Z-score and was independently associated with β-cell disposition indices in multivariate models. Cluster analysis further revealed distinct metabolic phenotypes among children with similar degrees of obesity, with TyG distinguishing high-risk profiles characterized by impaired insulin sensitivity and potential β-cell vulnerability. Comparisons across metabolic states further indicated that TyG provided metabolic information not fully captured by conventional categorical definitions of metabolic dysfunction. The TyG index is associated with a dimension of metabolic stress and potential β-cell vulnerability in pediatric obesity that is not adequately reflected by the severity of obesity alone. By identifying metabolic heterogeneity not fully captured by BMI-based assessment, TyG may complement conventional risk assessment and support metabolic risk stratification in children with obesity.
This study aimed to identify distinct trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms from late pregnancy to 36 months postpartum and to assess their associations with children’s emotional, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes. We analyzed data from 240 mother–child dyads in Shanghai from a cohort screened at enrollment to exclude major pre-existing mental disorders and pregnancy complications. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed in late pregnancy using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, at 42 days postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months postpartum using the Depression–Dejection subscale of the Profile of Mood States. Children’s emotional, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes were assessed at age 6 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Group-based trajectory modeling and regression models were constructed. Four trajectories were identified: stable-low levels of depression (78.8
Parents increasingly use generative artificial intelligence (AI) for health information, but evidence on parental AI use and childhood vaccination is limited. We examined exploratory associations between regular parental AI health-advice use and childhood vaccination in Japan. This cross-sectional study analyzed 2025 nationwide survey data from children aged 1 to 17 years and parents, with a linked 2023–2025 sub-analysis. The exposure was regular parental use of generative AI for health advice at least a few times per month. Outcomes were age-appropriate measles-rubella (MR) vaccination and any mumps, influenza, or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Modified Poisson regression estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95 CI 1.01–1.10) for mumps, 56.7
