Tracking of serum lipid levels, blood pressure, and body mass index from childhood to adulthood: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Obesity and hypertension in children and adolescents

As childhood obesity rates increase worldwide, the prevalence of obesity-related hypertension is also on the rise. Obesity has been identified as a significant risk factor for hypertension in this age group. National Health Surveys and meta-analyses show increasing trends in obesity and pediatric hypertension in obese children. The diagnosis of hypertension in children involves percentiles relative to age, sex, and height, unlike in adults, where absolute values are considered. Elevated blood pressure (BP) in childhood is consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in adulthood, emphasizing the need for early detection and intervention. The pathogenesis of hypertension in obesity involves multiple factors, including increased sympathetic nervous system activity, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), and renal compression due to fat accumulation. Obesity disrupts normal RAAS suppression and contributes to impaired pressure natriuresis and sodium retention, which are critical factors in the development of hypertension. Risk factors for hypertension in obesity include degree, duration, and distribution of obesity, patient age, hormonal changes during puberty, high-sodium diet, sedentary lifestyle, and socioeconomic status. Treatment involves lifestyle changes, with weight loss being crucial to lowering BP. Medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers may be considered first, and surgical approaches may be an option for severe obesity, requiring tailored antihypertensive medications that consider individual pathophysiology to avoid exacerbating insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.

Long-term burden and increasing trends of body mass index are linked with adult hypertension through triglyceride-glucose index: A 30-year prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Insulin resistance (IR) has previously been associated with hypertension, and obesity is a risk factor for IR and hypertension. There is likely an association between body mass index (BMI) and risk for hypertension through the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index but this relationship remains uncharacterized.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study is based on the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Cohort, which is an ongoing prospective study established in 1987. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dl) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dl)/2]. The total area under the curve (AUCt) and incremental AUC (AUCi) were calculated as the long-term burden and trend of BMI, respectively. We found that BMI AUCt and BMI AUCi were significantly associated with the risk of adult hypertension, both without (RR = 1.30/1.31 for BMI AUCt/AUCi) and with (RR = 1.25/1.26 for BMI AUCt/AUCi) the inclusion of the TyG index as a covariate. Importantly, mediation analysis revealed that the TyG index mediated the BMI AUCt-SBP association (19.3%), the BMI AUCt-DBP association (22.7%), the BMI AUCi-SBP association (18.5%) and the BMI AUCi-DBP association (21.3%). Furthermore, the TyG index had a significant mediating effect of 15.9% on the BMI AUCt-hypertension association and 14.9% on the BMI AUCi-hypertension association.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the TyG index plays an important mediating role in the association between the cumulative burden and increasing trends of BMI originating in childhood and the risk of hypertension in midlife. We emphasize that early weight management has the potential to reduce the burden of hypertension caused by IR.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was clinically registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02734472) and approved by the Academic Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU1AF2015LSL-047).

Tracking of blood pressure levels from childhood

The overall goal of this review is to summarize what is currently known regarding the tracking of blood pressure levels from early childhood into later adulthood and to describe the factors contributing to increased hypertension prevalence across the lifespan. This review describes 4 theoretical constructs of blood pressure trajectory across the lifespan: forward development, forward tracking, forward reversal, and maintenance of normal blood pressure levels.

Association between blood lipid levels in early pregnancy and urinary organophosphate metabolites in the Japan Environment and Children's Study

BACKGROUND

High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL-C) during pregnancy have been associated with adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes. While previous studies have suggested a potential link between organophosphate pesticide (OPP) exposure and higher LDL-C in the general population and agricultural workers, the relationship in pregnant women and the effect of body mass index on this relationship remain unclear. We examined the association between the urinary concentrations of OPP metabolites (dialkylphosphates) and blood lipid levels in pregnant women.

METHODS

We used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, which included 5,169 pregnant women with urinary dialkylphosphate data. We examined the association between urinary concentrations of six dialkylphosphates (DEP, DETP, DEDTP, DMP, DMTP, DMDTP) and blood lipid levels (LDL-C, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides) during the first trimester using multiple linear regression under a Bayesian paradigm. We examined the association between high LDL-C, defined as ≥90th percentile of LDL-C, and urinary dialkylphosphate concentrations, using multiple logistic regression under a Bayesian paradigm. These analyses were repeated in underweight, normal-weight, and overweight participants.

RESULTS

DEP, DMP, and DMTP were detected in >50 % of the participants. Multiple linear regression analyses did not show associations between LDL-C and these dialkylphosphates. Stratified analyses showed a positive association between DEP and LDL-C in overweight women (beta coefficient = 2.13, 95 % credible interval = 0.86-3.38, probability of direction (PD) = 100 %); however, the association was not significant (percentage in region of practical equivalence (% in ROPE) = 84.0). Higher DEP was significantly associated with high LDL-C (odds ratio = 1.32, 95 % credible interval = 1.13-1.55, PD = 100 %, % in ROPE = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Among overweight pregnant women in the first trimester, higher urinary DEP concentrations were associated with high LDL-C. The effects of OPP on blood lipid profiles merit further investigation.

Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists Harmonized Pediatric Lipid Reporting Recommendations for Clinical Laboratories

Detecting dyslipidemia early is important because atherosclerosis originates in childhood and early treatment can improve outcomes. In 2022, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) and Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association (CPCA) published a clinical practice update to detect, evaluate, and manage pediatric dyslipidemia. However, guidance on its translation into clinical laboratories is lacking. The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists Working Group on Reference Interval Harmonization Lipid Team aims to assist guideline implementation and promote harmonized pediatric lipid reporting across Canada. The 2022 CCS/CPCA clinical practice update, 2011 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute integrated guidelines, and new data analysis (Canadian pediatric reference values from the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals [CALIPER] and retrospective patient data from large community laboratories) were incorporated to develop 5 key recommendations. These include recommendations to: (1) offer nonfasting and fasting lipid testing; (2) offer a lipid panel including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, and triglycerides, with apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) available as individually orderable tests; (3) flag total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C results ≥ 95th percentile, and HDL-C results < 10th percentile, as recommended by CCS/CPCA/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and validated by CALIPER, and flag apolipoprotein B and nonfasting triglyceride results ≥ 95th percentile on the basis of CALIPER, and do not flag Lp(a) results but mention the adult cutoff in the interpretive comments; (4) implement interpretive comments listed in the current report; and (5) implement the National Institutes of Health LDL-C equation. The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists Working Group on Reference Interval Harmonization Lipid Team will support clinical laboratories to implement these recommendations using knowledge translation strategies. Harmonizing pediatric lipid reporting across Canadian clinical laboratories will optimize clinical decision-making and improve cardiovascular risk management in youth.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Childhood and Adulthood and Cardiovascular Disease in Middle Age

Importance

Recent evidence suggests that childhood levels of serum lipids, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and smoking contribute to adult risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Evidence is lacking on whether this is independent of adult risk levels.

Objective

To quantify direct and indirect effects of childhood risk factors on adult CVD via adulthood risk factors using mediation analysis, and to quantify their relative importance during different life-course stages using a life-course approach.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective cohort study followed participants from the US, Finland, and Australia from childhood (1970s-1990s) until 2019, with data on CVD risk factors in childhood and adulthood. Longitudinal childhood and adulthood risk factors were summarized to describe BMI, lipids, and blood pressure cumulatively. Childhood and adulthood smoking were assessed with questionnaires. Data analysis was performed May 2022 to August 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events in adulthood. Mediation analysis was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of the childhood risk factors with CVD events, reported as incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs.

Results

A total of 10 634 participants (4506 male participants [42.4%]; mean [SD] age at childhood visit, 13.3 [3.0] years; mean [SD] age at adulthood visit, 32.3 [6.0] years) were included in the cohort. The mean (SD) age at CVD event or censoring was 49.2 (7.0) years. The median (IQR) follow-up time was 23.6 (18.7-30.2) years. Childhood risk factors, (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides, systolic blood pressure [SBP], smoking, BMI, and a combined score of these) were associated with CVD. BMI (direct effect for incidence RR per 1 SD unit, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.34) and LDL-C (direct effect incidence RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.34) in particular were found to play an important role via direct pathways, whereas the indirect effects were larger for TC, triglycerides, SBP, and the combined score. Childhood smoking only affected CVD via adulthood smoking. Life-course models confirmed that for the risk of CVD, childhood BMI plays nearly as important role as adulthood BMI, whereas for the other risk factors and the combined score, adulthood was the more important period.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of 10 634 participants, childhood risk factors were found to be associated both directly and indirectly to adult CVD, with the largest direct effect seen for BMI and LDL-C. These findings suggest that intervention for childhood risk factors, in particular BMI, is warranted to reduce incidence of adult CVD as it cannot be fully mitigated by risk factor management in adulthood.

Comparison of international height and BMI-for-age growth references and their correlation with adiposity in Brazilian schoolchildren

This study verified the diagnostic accuracy of the nutritional status classified by the international height and BMI references of the World Health Organization (WHO) (WHO/2007), International Obesity Task Force (IOTF/2012) and MULT (2023). The data pool was composed by 22 737 subjects aged five to 16 years from the Santos and Porto Alegre surveys. A correlation matrix between the z-scores of the BMI references and the skinfold measurements was calculated through the Pearson correlation coefficient (r), and the subject's nutritional status was classified according to the international growth references. The accuracy for diagnosing obesity was performed separately by sex and using the 95th percentile of the triceps and subscapular skinfold sum, while Lin's concordance coefficient, Bland-Altman method and the Cohen's Kappa coefficient (Kappa) were used to verify the concordance and reliability among the BMI references. The correlation matrix showed a high positive correlation among the BMI z-scores (r ≥ 0·99) and among the skinfold measurements (r ≥ 0·86). The prevalence of stunting was higher when applying the MULT reference (3·4 %) compared with the WHO reference (2·3 %). The Bland-Altman plots showed the lowest critical difference (CD) between the height references of WHO and MULT (CD = 0·22). Among the BMI references, the WHO obesity percentile presented lower performance than MULT for boys, presenting a lower +LR value (WHO = 6·99/MULT 18 years = 10·99; 19 years = 8·99; 20 years = 8·09) for the same -LR values (0·04). Therefore, MULT reference holds promise as a valuable tool for diagnosing childhood obesity, particularly when considering sex differences. This enhances its suitability for assessing the nutritional status of Brazilian schoolchildren.

Replacing Mercury Sphygmomanometers With Mercury-Free Sphygmomanometers for the National Health Survey in Children: Direct Comparisons Applying Two Types of Mercury-Free Sphygmomanometer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Blood pressure (BP) measurement using an auscultatory sphygmomanometer is recommended for diagnosing hypertension in children. As mercury sphygmomanometers (MSs) are banned owing to environmental concerns, it is crucial to determine the accuracy of mercury-free sphygmomanometers to replace them. We analyzed the accuracy of these devices to guide the National Survey selection.

METHODS

BP was measured thrice each with MS, auscultatory device (AD), and oscillometric device (OD) in 104 participants aged 10-18 using the National Survey data. The difference in BP was defined as the difference between MS and other devices. The BP differences, correlations, and influencing factors were analyzed. The frequencies of hypertension were also compared.

RESULTS

Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) differences between MS and AD were 0.88±3.36 mmHg and 0.63±3.95 mmHg, and those between MS and OD were 0.43±5.83 mmHg and 4.57±6.89 mmHg, respectively. The absolute error of <10 mmHg for DBP between MS and OD was 76%. The concordance correlation coefficient between MS and AD was 0.94 for SBP and 0.90 for DBP, and 0.81 and 0.67, respectively for MS and OD. Arm circumference negatively correlated with BP differences except for SBP between the MS and OD. The frequency of hypertension was not different between MS and AD but was underestimated by OD.

CONCLUSIONS

AD correlated well with MS, while OD did not, especially for DBP. The superiority of AD over OD suggests AD as a possible alternative for MS in the National Survey.

Tracking of serum lipid levels from childhood to adulthood: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The utility of lipid screening in pediatric settings for preventing adult atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases partly depends on the lifelong tracking of lipid levels. This systematic review aimed to quantify the tracking of lipid levels from childhood and adolescence to adulthood.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar in March 2022. The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; ID: CRD42020208859). We included cohort studies that measured tracking of lipids from childhood or adolescence (<18 years) to adulthood (≥18) with correlation or tracking coefficients. We estimated pooled correlation and tracking coefficients using random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with a review-specific tool.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies of 19 cohorts (11,020 participants) were included. The degree of tracking from childhood and adolescence to adulthood differed among lipids. Tracking was observed for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (pooled r = 0.55-0.65), total cholesterol (pooled r = 0.51-0.65), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (pooled r = 0.46-0.57), and triglycerides (pooled r = 0.32-0.40). Only one study included tracking of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.42-0.59). Substantial heterogeneity was observed. Study risk of bias was moderate, mostly due to insufficient reporting and singular measurements at baseline and follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-life lipid measurements are important for predicting adult levels. However, further research is needed to understand the tracking of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the stability of risk classification over time, which may further inform pediatric lipid screening and assessment strategies.

Annual Research Review: Neuroimmune network model of depression: a developmental perspective

Depression is a serious public health problem, and adolescence is an 'age of risk' for the onset of Major Depressive Disorder. Recently, we and others have proposed neuroimmune network models that highlight bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system in both mental and physical health, including depression. These models draw on research indicating that the cellular actors (particularly monocytes) and signaling molecules (particularly cytokines) that orchestrate inflammation in the periphery can directly modulate the structure and function of the brain. In the brain, inflammatory activity heightens sensitivity to threats in the cortico-amygdala circuit, lowers sensitivity to rewards in the cortico-striatal circuit, and alters executive control and emotion regulation in the prefrontal cortex. When dysregulated, and particularly under conditions of chronic stress, inflammation can generate feelings of dysphoria, distress, and anhedonia. This is proposed to initiate unhealthy, self-medicating behaviors (e.g. substance use, poor diet) to manage the dysphoria, which further heighten inflammation. Over time, dysregulation in these brain circuits and the inflammatory response may compound each other to form a positive feedback loop, whereby dysregulation in one organ system exacerbates the other. We and others suggest that this neuroimmune dysregulation is a dynamic joint vulnerability for depression, particularly during adolescence. We have three goals for the present paper. First, we extend neuroimmune network models of mental and physical health to generate a developmental framework of risk for the onset of depression during adolescence. Second, we examine how a neuroimmune network perspective can help explain the high rates of comorbidity between depression and other psychiatric disorders across development, and multimorbidity between depression and stress-related medical illnesses. Finally, we consider how identifying neuroimmune pathways to depression can facilitate a 'next generation' of behavioral and biological interventions that target neuroimmune signaling to treat, and ideally prevent, depression in youth and adolescents.

Association of Weight Trajectory With Severe Obesity: A Case-Control Study

Background: Early childhood weight trajectory is associated with future risk for obesity. However, little is known about the association of birth weight and weight trajectories before age 5.5 years with severe adult obesity. Methods: This study used a nested case-control design of 785 matched sets of cases and controls matched 1:1 on age and gender from a 1976 to 1982 birth cohort in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Cases with severe adult obesity were defined as individuals with a BMI ≥40 kg/m2 after 18 years of age. There were 737 matched sets of cases and controls for the trajectory analysis. Weight and height data from birth through 5.5 years were abstracted from the medical records, and weight-for-age percentiles were obtained from the CDC growth charts. Results: A two-cluster weight-for-age trajectory solution was identified as optimal, with cluster 1 having higher weight-for-age before age 5.5 years. While there was no association between birth weight and severe adult obesity, the odds of being in cluster 1, which includes children with higher weight-for-age percentiles, was significantly increased for cases compared with controls [odds ratio (OR) 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.60-2.47]. The association between cluster membership and case-control status persisted after adjusting for maternal age and education (adjusted OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.66-2.61). Conclusions: Our data suggest that early childhood weight-for-age trajectories are associated with severe obesity status in adult life. Our results add to growing evidence that it is critical to prevent excess early childhood weight gain.

Associations Between Phenotypes of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity and Incident Hypertension in Young Adulthood

Objectives

We investigated whether empirically derived childhood obesity phenotypes were differentially associated with risk of hypertension in young adulthood, and whether these associations differed by sex.

Methods

Data came from 11,404 participants in the Growing Up Today Study, a prospective cohort study in the US established in 1996. We used a childhood obesity phenotype variable that was previously empirically derived using latent class analysis. The childhood obesity phenotypes included an early puberty phenotype (females only), a mothers with obesity phenotype, a high weight concerns phenotype, and a mixed phenotype. Participants without overweight or obesity in childhood or adolescence were the reference group. We then used logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations to examine associations of childhood obesity phenotypes with incident hypertension between ages 20-35 years. All analyses were stratified by sex.

Results

Among females, participants in all of the empirically derived childhood obesity phenotypes were more likely than their peers without childhood overweight/obesity to develop hypertension in young adulthood (early puberty subtype odds ratio (OR) = 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.75, 3.62; mothers with obesity (MO) subtype OR = 2.98; 95% CI = 1.93, 4.59; high weight concerns (WC) subtype OR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.65, 3.28; mixed subtype OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.25, 2.20). Among males, the childhood obesity phenotypes were associated with a higher risk of developing hypertension, although males in the MO (OR = 2.65; 95% CI = 1.82, 3.87) and WC phenotypes (OR = 3.52; 95% CI = 2.38, 5.20) had a greater risk of developing hypertension than the mixed subtype (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.23, 1.86) (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Risk for incident hypertension in young adulthood varied by childhood obesity phenotypes, as well as by biological sex. If replicated, these results may suggest that increased surveillance of specific childhood obesity phenotypes might help in targeting those at highest risk for hypertension.

A Model of Individual BMI Trajectories

A risk factor model of body mass index (BMI) is an important building block of health simulations aimed at estimating government policy effects with regard to overweight and obesity. We created a model that generates representative population level distributions and that also mimics realistic BMI trajectories at an individual level so that policies aimed at individuals can be simulated. The model is constructed by combining several datasets. First, the population level distribution is extracted from a large, cross-sectional dataset. The trend in this distribution is estimated from historical data. In addition, longitudinal data are used to model how individuals move along typical trajectories over time. The model faithfully describes the population level distribution of BMI, stratified by sex, level of education and age. It is able to generate life course trajectories for individuals which seem plausible, but it does not capture extreme fluctuations, such as rapid weight loss.

Effectiveness of eHealth Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

eHealth interventions have been postulated as a feasible, acceptable, and possibly effective tool to promote physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents; however, a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the effects of eHealth interventions promoting PA is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on experimental studies reporting the effects of eHealth interventions aimed at promoting PA on PA parameters and sedentary behavior parameters in children and adolescents.

METHODS

The CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to February 2022 for randomized controlled trials that analyzed the effects of eHealth interventions aimed at promoting PA on PA and sedentary parameters in children and adolescents. The Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects method was used to determine the mean differences (MDs) with their respective 95% CIs. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB2; Cochrane) tool and its extension for cluster randomized controlled trials. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool.

RESULTS

A total of 20 trials reporting the effects of different eHealth interventions aimed at promoting PA were included. Results for each parameter were as follows: counts per minute (MD -16.11 counts, 95% CI -122.76 to 90.53; k=3; n=402; I2=69%; favoring control), steps per day (MD 593.46 steps, 95% CI -2102.27 to 3289.19; k=2; n=152; I2=0%; favoring intervention [FI]), moderate to vigorous PA (MD -1.99 min/d, 95% CI -8.95 to 4.96; k=14; n=2336; I2=86%; favoring control), light PA (MD 3.28 min/d, 95% CI -15.48 to 22.04; k=5; n=355; I2=67%; FI), screen time (MD -31.48 min/d, 95% CI -68.62 to 5.65; k=5; n=904; I2=0%; FI), and sedentary time (MD -33.12 min/d, 95% CI -57.27 to -8.97; k=8; n=819; I2=75%; FI). Our results should be interpreted cautiously because of important limitations such as the scarcity of evidence, overall risk of bias, and low to very low certainty of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

We did not find conclusive evidence regarding the impact of PA-targeted eHealth interventions on PA parameters, but the very low certainty of evidence suggests that eHealth interventions may reduce sedentary time in children and adolescents. Our results may have important scientific implications as they highlight that the rapid development of eHealth interventions to promote PA lacks robust supporting evidence.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020211020; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=211020.

Responsive parental support buffers the link between chronic stress and cardiometabolic risk among adolescents

Youth exposed to chronic stress exhibit increased cardiometabolic risk which parental social support may attenuate. Notably, theories emphasize that support should be delivered responsively for it to exert buffering effects, but this has not been thoroughly tested empirically. This study examined whether timing of support is an important but unrecognized element of responsiveness during adolescence in buffering the link between chronic stress and cardiometabolic risk. Participants were 242 adolescents aged 15 years (63 % female, 38 % Black). Adolescents completed assessments of chronic stress (Life Stress Interview), and trained personnel collected anthropometric measures and blood samples to assess cardiometabolic risk (reflected in low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome). Adolescents also completed an eight-day diary assessment to report daily stressor exposure and parental support. Using the diary data, responsiveness of parental support was operationalized as the within-individual difference in parental support received on stressor (vs. non-stressor) days, such that increased parental support on stressor days reflected more timely support. Results suggest that responsive parental support buffered the link between chronic stress and cardiovascular risk. Specifically, chronic stress was associated with greater risk only when parental support was not temporally aligned with stress exposure, but this association was not observed among adolescents who received timely parental support. These findings shed light on why parental support may not always exert buffering effects during adolescence, highlighting the importance of taking a developmental approach to understanding protective effects.

Breastfeeding Duration and Cardiometabolic Health during Adolescence: A Longitudinal Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the longitudinal association between breastfeeding duration and cardiometabolic health, using repeated measures study design among children and adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

This study included 634 offsprings aged 10 to 21 years (52% female) from the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants birth cohort followed up to four time points during adolescence. Breastfeeding duration was prospectively quantified using questionnaires during early childhood. Cardiometabolic risk factors, body composition, and weight-related biomarkers were assessed as outcomes during adolescent follow-up visits. Sex-stratified linear mixed-effects models were used to model the association between quartiles of breastfeeding duration and outcomes, adjusting for age and additional covariates.

RESULTS

Median breastfeeding duration was 7 months (minimum = 0, maximum = 36). Boys in the second quartile (median breastfeeding = 5 months) had lower total fat mass % (β (SE) -3.2 (1.5) P = .037), and higher lean mass % (3.1 (1.6) P = .049) and skeletal muscle mass % (1.8 (0.8) P = .031) compared with the reference group (median breastfeeding = 2 months). A positive linear trend between breastfeeding duration and trunk lean mass % (0.1 (0.04) P = .035) was found among girls. No association was found with other cardiometabolic indicators.

CONCLUSION

Despite sex-specific associations of breastfeeding duration with body composition, there was a lack of substantial evidence for the protective effects of breastfeeding against impaired cardiometabolic health during adolescence among Mexican youth. Further longitudinal studies with a robust assessment of breastfeeding are recommended.

Sodium - a systematic review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

Blood pressure (BP) rises along with increasing sodium intake from early childhood to late adulthood, and leads to hypertension among most men and women living in Nordic and Baltic countries. Elevated BP is the leading global risk factor for premature deaths and disability-adjusted life-years. A reduction in sodium intake is essential in the prevention of hypertension in individuals, in the lowering of BP levels, in the treatment of hypertensive individuals, and in decreasing risks associated with elevated BP. There is a progressive linear dose-response relationship between sodium intake and BP beginning from a sodium intake of less than 0.8 g/day. Sodium reduction decreases BP linearly by a dose-response manner down to a sodium intake level of less than 2 g/day. Randomised intervention studies with a duration of at least 4 weeks confirm the efficiency and safety of reducing blood sodium intake to a level of less than 2 g/day. Results from prospective cohort studies show that higher sodium intake is positively associated with an increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular events and mortality among the general adult population, and the associations are linear in studies using proper sodium assessment methods. Analyses assessing sodium intake using at least two 24-h urine samples have shown a linear positive relationship between sodium intake and the risk of a cardiovascular event or death. Based on an overall evaluation of the available data, a limitation of the sodium intake to 2.0 g/day is suggested for adults. The optimal sodium intake level would be probably about 1.5 g/day. Sodium intake recommended for children can be extrapolated from the recommended sodium intake for adults. According to national dietary surveys, the average sodium intakes in Nordic countries range in adult men from 3.6 to 4.4 g/day and in adult women from 2.6. to 3.2 g/day, and in Baltic countries in men from 2.6 to 5.1 g/day and in women from 1.8 to 3.6 g/day.

The Influence of Dietary Counseling Over 20 Years on Tracking of Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol from Infancy to Young Adulthood

This 26-year study found that non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels tracked from infancy to young adulthood suggesting early-life non-HDL-C could predict future levels. However, infancy-onset dietary counseling reduced the odds of maintaining at-risk non-HDL-C, highlighting the potential importance of early interventions in preventing cardiovascular risk associated with high pediatric non-HDL-C.

Association of linear growth velocities between 0 and 6 years with kidney function and size at 10 years: A birth cohort study in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Risk of noncommunicable diseases accrues from fetal life, with early childhood growth having an important role in adult disease risk. There is a need to understand how early-life growth relates to kidney function and size.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the association of linear growth velocities among children between 0 and 6 y with kidney function and size among children aged 10 y.

METHODS

The Ethiopian Anthropometric and Body Composition birth cohort recruited infants born at term to mothers living in Jimma with a birth weight of ≥1500 g and without congenital malformations. Participants were followed up with 13 measurements between birth and 6 y of age. The latest follow-up was at ages 7-12 y with measurement of serum cystatin C as a marker of kidney function and ultrasound assessment of kidney dimensions. Kidney volume was computed using an ellipsoid formula. Linear-spline multilevel modeling was used to compute linear growth velocities between 0 and 6 y. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to examine the associations of linear growth velocities in selected age periods with cystatin C and kidney size.

RESULTS

Data were captured from 355 children, at a mean age of 10 (range 7-12) y. The linear growth velocity was high between 0 and 3 mo and then decreased with age. There was no evidence of an association of growth velocity ≤24 mo with cystatin C at 10 y. Between 24 and 48 and 48 and 76 mo, serum cystatin C was higher by 2.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6, 4.2] and 2.1% (95% CI: 0.3, 4.0) for 1 SD higher linear growth velocity, respectively. We found a positive association between linear growth velocities at all intervals between 0 and 6 y and kidney volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater linear growth between 0 and 6 y of development was positively associated with kidney size, and greater growth velocity after 2 y was associated with higher serum cystatin C concentrations.

Longitudinal Associations Between Vitamin D Status and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers Among Children and Adolescents

CONTEXT

Vitamin D status has previously been associated with cardiometabolic risk markers in children and adolescents. In particular, it has been suggested that children with obesity are more prone to vitamin D deficiency and unfavorable metabolic outcomes compared with healthy-weight children.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a longitudinal study assessing this association in children and stratify by body mass index (BMI) category.

METHODS

Children from the pan-European IDEFICS/I.Family cohort with at least one measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] at cohort entry or follow-up (n = 2171) were included in this study. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the association between serum 25(OH)D as an independent variable and z-scores of cardiometabolic risk markers (waist circumference, systolic [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP], high- [HDL] and low-density lipoprotein, non-HDL, triglycerides [TRG], apolipoprotein A1 [ApoA1] and ApoB, fasting glucose [FG], homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR], and metabolic syndrome score) as dependent variables.

RESULTS

After adjustment for age, sex, study region, smoking and alcohol status, sports club membership, screen time, BMI, parental education, and month of blood collection, 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with SBP, DBP, FG, HOMA-IR, and TRG. The HOMA-IR z-score decreased by 0.07 units per 5 ng/mL increase in 25(OH)D. The 25(OH)D level was consistently associated with HOMA-IR irrespective of sex or BMI category.

CONCLUSION

Low serum 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with unfavorable levels of cardiometabolic markers in children and adolescents. Interventions to improve vitamin D levels in children with a poor status early in life may help to reduce cardiometabolic risk.

Significance of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins during the first 14-16 months of life

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aims of this study were to investigate lipid parameters during the first 14-16 months of life, to identify influential factors, and to test whether high concentrations at birth predict high concentrations at 2- and 14-16 months.

METHODS

The Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, including 13,354 umbilical cord blood samples and parallel venous blood samples from children and parents at birth (n = 444), 2 months (n = 364), and 14-16 months (n = 168), was used.

RESULTS

Concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins in umbilical cord blood samples correlated highly with venous blood samples from newborns. Concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a) increased stepwise from birth to 2 months to 14-16 months. Linear mixed models showed that concentrations of LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) above the 80th percentile at birth were associated with significantly higher concentrations at 2 and 14-16 months. Finally, lipid concentrations differed according to sex, gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding, and parental lipid concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

Lipid parameters changed during the first 14-16 months of life, and sex, gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding, and high parental concentrations influenced concentrations. Children with high concentrations of atherogenic lipid traits at birth had higher concentrations at 2 and 14-16 months. These findings increase our knowledge of how lipid traits develop over the first 14-16 months of life and may help in deciding the optimal child age for universal familial hypercholesterolaemia screening.

Sex differences in lipids: A life course approach

Differences between men and women in lipids and lipoproteins are observed in distribution and trajectory from infancy to adulthood in the general population. However, these differences are more pronounced in hereditary lipid disorders such as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) when absolute cholesterol levels are higher from birth onwards. In the early life course, girls compared to boys have higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and total cholesterol, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are similar. In early adulthood to middle-age, women have lower LDL-C and higher HDL-C levels, as LDL-C levels increase and HDLC levels decrease in men. In the elderly, all lipids - total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglyceride levels decrease but are more pronounced in men. Lipid levels are also affected by specific transitions in girls/women such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. Lipid levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle. During pregnancy a physiological increase of LDL-C and even a larger increase in triglyceride levels are observed. Pregnancy has a double impact on LDL-C accumulation in women with FH as they have to stop statins, and the absolute increase in LDL-C is higher than in women without FH. In the menopausal transition, women develop a more adverse lipid profile. Therefore, it is important to take into account both sex and the life course when assessing a lipid profile.

Prevalence of Pediatric Masked Hypertension and Risk of Subclinical Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Masked hypertension (MH) occurs when office blood pressure is normal, but hypertension is confirmed using out-of-office blood pressure measures. Hypertension is a risk factor for subclinical cardiovascular outcomes, including left ventricular hypertrophy, increased left ventricular mass index, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity. However, the risk factors for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring defined MH and its association with subclinical cardiovascular outcomes are unclear. A systematic literature search on 9 databases included English publications from 1974 to 2023. Pediatric MH prevalence was stratified by disease comorbidities and compared with the general pediatric population. We also compared the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, and mean differences in left ventricular mass index, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity between MH versus normotensive pediatric patients. Of 2199 screened studies, 136 studies (n=28 612; ages 4-25 years) were included. The prevalence of MH in the general pediatric population was 10.4% (95% CI, 8.00-12.80). Compared with the general pediatric population, the risk ratio (RR) of MH was significantly greater in children with coarctation of the aorta (RR, 1.91), solid-organ or stem-cell transplant (RR, 2.34), chronic kidney disease (RR, 2.44), and sickle cell disease (RR, 1.33). MH patients had increased risk of subclinical cardiovascular outcomes compared with normotensive patients, including higher left ventricular mass index (mean difference, 3.86 g/m2.7 [95% CI, 2.51-5.22]), left ventricular hypertrophy (odds ratio, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.50-3.96]), and higher pulse wave velocity (mean difference, 0.30 m/s [95% CI, 0.14-0.45]). The prevalence of MH is significantly elevated among children with various comorbidities. Children with MH have evidence of subclinical cardiovascular outcomes, which increases their risk of long-term cardiovascular disease.

Detecting and Managing Childhood Onset Hypertension in Africa: A Call to Action

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review recent evidence on childhood hypertension across Africa, identifying knowledge gaps, challenges and priorities, and highlight clinical perspectives in managing primary hypertension.

RECENT FINDINGS

Only 15 of the 54 African countries reported on absolute blood pressure (BP) measures, elevated BP, pre- and/or hypertension. The reported hypertension prevalence ranged between 0.0 and 38.9%, while elevated BP and/or pre-hypertnesion ranged from 2.7 to 50.5%. Childhood BP nomograms are lacking across Africa and the rates of hypertension were based on guidelines developed in countries with the lowest to no number of children from African ancestry. The recent studies across Africa also showed little to no detail when reporting BP specific methodology. No recent data informing the use or effectiveness of antihypertensive agents in children and adolesents are available. Childhood hypertension is on the rise, while data from Africa remains vastly under-represented. Collaborative research, resources, and policies need to be strengthened in addressing the growing public health concern of childhood onset hypertension on this continent.

Maternal cardiovascular disorders before and during pregnancy and offspring cardiovascular risk across the life course

Obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia are highly prevalent among women of reproductive age and contribute to complications in >30% of pregnancies in Western countries. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that these cardiovascular disorders in women, occurring before and during their pregnancy, can affect the development of the structure, physiology and function of cardiovascular organ systems at different stages during embryonic and fetal development. These developmental adaptations might, in addition to genetics and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, increase the susceptibility of the offspring to cardiovascular disease throughout the life course. In this Review, we discuss current knowledge of the influence of maternal cardiovascular disorders, occurring before and during pregnancy, on offspring cardiovascular development, dysfunction and disease from embryonic life until adulthood. We discuss findings from contemporary, large-scale, observational studies that provide insights into specific critical periods, evidence for causality and potential underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, we focus on priorities for future research, including defining optimal cardiovascular and reproductive health in women and men before their pregnancy and identifying specific embryonic, placental and fetal molecular developmental adaptations from early pregnancy onwards. Together, these approaches will help stop the intergenerational cycle of cardiovascular disease.

Tracking of serum lipids in healthy children on a year-to-year basis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the stability of lipid profiles throughout childhood and evaluate their onset and dynamic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Lipid markers were longitudinally measured in more than 1300 healthy children from the LIFE Child study (Germany) and categorized into normal, at-risk, or adverse. Year-to-year intra-person persistence of the categories during follow-ups was examined and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated.

RESULTS

We found strong positive correlations for TC, LDL-C and ApoB (r > 0.75, p < 0.001) from the age of four years. Correlations were lowest during the first two years of life. Most children with normal levels also had normal levels the following year. Children with at-risk levels showed a tendency towards normal levels at the follow-up visit. Adverse levels of TC, LDL-C, ApoB (all ages), and HDL-C (from age 15) persisted in more than half of the affected children. Age-dependent patterns of stability were most pronounced and similar for TC, LDL-C, and ApoB.

CONCLUSIONS

Normal levels of serum lipids show high stability and adverse levels stabilized in early childhood for TC, LDL, and ApoB. At-risk and adverse levels of TC, LDL-C or ApoB may warrant further or repeated diagnostic measurements with regards to preventing CVD in the long run.

Breastfeeding and ApoB in late adolescence: a Hong Kong birth cohort study

Breastfeeding is widely promoted. Experimental evidence concerning long-term benefits is limited. Observational studies are open to bias from confounding by socio-economic position. We assessed the association of breastfeeding with late adolescent lipid sub-fractions, particularly apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c), overall and by sex. We took advantage of a setting where breastfeeding has little association with higher socio-economic position and where several results from randomized controlled trials of breastfeeding promotion have been replicated. We used the population-representative "Children of 1997" birth cohort comprising 88% of births in Hong Kong in April and May 1997. Associations of breastfeeding in the first 3 months of life (never, mixed, exclusive) with lipid sub-fractions were obtained using linear regression adjusted for potential confounders including parental socio-economic position, maternal place of birth, type of delivery, gestational age, and birth weight. Differences by sex were assessed. Multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting were used to recover the original sample. Of the 3462 participants included, mean age was 17.6 years and 48.8% were girls. Mean ApoB was 0.74 g/L (standard deviation 0.15). Exclusive versus never breastfeeding was associated with lower ApoB (-0.027 g/L, 95% confidence interval (CI)-0.046 to-0.007, p = 0.007) and lower non-HDL-c (-0.143 mmol/L, 95% CI-0.237 to-0.048) with similar estimates by sex.

CONCLUSION

Breastfeeding may provide some population-level lifelong protection against cardiovascular disease. This study supports policies promoting breastfeeding as a modifiable exposure that contributes to a healthy start in life as an investment for lifelong cardiovascular disease prevention.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but whether breastfeeding affects ApoB in later life overall and by sex is unknown.

WHAT IS NEW

• Exclusive breastfeeding in the first 3 months of life was associated with lower ApoB in late adolescence, with similar estimates for both sexes. • The inverse association of breastfeeding with ApoB suggests that breastfeeding could reduce cardiovascular disease and overall mortality over the lifespan.

Association of dietary fibre intake with subsequent fasting glucose levels and indicators of adiposity in school-age Japanese children

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationships of fibre intake with subsequent BMI sd-score, waist-to-height ratio and serum fasting glucose levels among school-age Japanese children.

DESIGN

This is a prospective study of school-age Japanese children. Participants were followed from 6-7 to 9-10 years of age (follow-up rate: 92·0 %). Fibre intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. Serum fasting glucose was measured by a hexokinase enzymatic method. Using a general linear model, the associations between dietary fibre intake at baseline and BMI sd-score, waist-to-height ratio, and serum levels of fasting glucose at follow-up were evaluated after considering potential confounding factors.

SETTING

Public elementary schools in a city in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2784 students.

RESULTS

The estimated means for fasting glucose at 9-10 years of age were 86·45, 85·68, 85·88 and 85·58 mg/dl in the lowest, second, third and highest quartile of fibre intake at 6-7 years of age, respectively (P = 0·033, trend P = 0·018). Higher fibre intake at 6-7 years of age was associated with lower waist-to-height ratio at 9-10 years of age (trend P = 0·023). The change in fibre intake was inversely associated with concurrent change of BMI sd-score (trend P = 0·044).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that dietary fibre intake may be potentially effective to limit excess weight gain and lower glucose levels during childhood.

Algorithms for Treating Dyslipidemia in Youth

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal of this article is to review algorithms for treating dyslipidemia in youth, discuss pitfalls, propose enhanced algorithms to address pitfalls, and consider future directions.

RECENT FINDINGS

The presence of modifiable and non-modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors during childhood is associated with CVD-related events in adulthood. Recent data has shown that childhood initiation of statin therapy in youth < 18 years of age with familial hypercholesterolemia reduces the risk of adult CVD. However, pediatric dyslipidemia remains undertreated in part due to a lack of primary health care providers with adequate understanding of screening guidelines and pediatric lipidologists with experience in treatment and follow-up of this unique population. Management algorithms have been published by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and American Heart Association as tools to empower clinicians to manage dyslipidemia. We propose enhanced algorithms, which incorporate recently approved pharmacotherapy to address the management gaps. Future algorithms based upon clinical risk scores may enhance treatment and improve outcomes. Algorithms for dyslipidemia management which target youth < 18 years of age are tools which empower clinicians to manage dyslipidemia in this unique population. Enhanced algorithms may help address pitfalls. We acknowledge the need for further risk assessment tools in pediatrics for tailored dyslipidemia management.

Lower abdominal adipose tissue cannabinoid type 1 receptor availability in young men with overweight

OBJECTIVE

Cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1R) modulate feeding behavior and energy homeostasis, and the CB1R tone is dysgulated in obesity. This study aimed to investigate CB1R availability in peripheral tissue and brain in young men with overweight versus lean men.

METHODS

Healthy males with high (HR, n = 16) or low (LR, n = 20) obesity risk were studied with fluoride 18-labeled FMPEP-d₂ positron emission tomography to quantify CB1R availability in abdominal adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue, muscle, and brain. Obesity risk was assessed by BMI, physical exercise habits, and familial obesity risk, including parental overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. To assess insulin sensitivity, fluoro-[¹⁸ F]-deoxy-2-D-glucose positron emission tomography during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp was performed. Serum endocannabinoids were analyzed.

RESULTS

CB1R availability in abdominal adipose tissue was lower in the HR than in the LR group, whereas no difference was found in other tissues. CB1R availability of abdominal adipose tissue and brain correlated positively with insulin sensitivity and negatively with unfavorable lipid profile, BMI, body adiposity, and inflammatory markers. Serum arachidonoyl glycerol concentration was associated with lower CB1R availability of the whole brain, unfavorable lipid profile, and higher serum inflammatory markers.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest endocannabinoid dysregulation already in the preobesity state.

Development of a genetic risk score to predict the risk of hypertension in European adolescents from the HELENA study

Introduction

From genome wide association study (GWAS) a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have previously been associated with blood pressure (BP) levels. A combination of SNPs, forming a genetic risk score (GRS) could be considered as a useful genetic tool to identify individuals at risk of developing hypertension from early stages in life. Therefore, the aim of our study was to build a GRS being able to predict the genetic predisposition to hypertension (HTN) in European adolescents.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) cross-sectional study. A total of 869 adolescents (53% female), aged 12.5-17.5, with complete genetic and BP information were included. The sample was divided into altered (≥130 mmHg for systolic and/or ≥80 mmHg for diastolic) or normal BP. Based on the literature, a total of 1.534 SNPs from 57 candidate genes related with BP were selected from the HELENA GWAS database.

Results

From 1,534 SNPs available, An initial screening of SNPs univariately associated with HTN (p < 0.10) was established, to finally obtain a number of 16 SNPs significantly associated with HTN (p < 0.05) in the multivariate model. The unweighted GRS (uGRS) and weighted GRS (wGRS) were estimated. To validate the GRSs, the area under the curve (AUC) was explored using ten-fold internal cross-validation for uGRS (0.802) and wGRS (0.777). Further covariates of interest were added to the analyses, obtaining a higher predictive ability (AUC values of uGRS: 0.879; wGRS: 0.881 for BMI z-score). Furthermore, the differences between AUCs obtained with and without the addition of covariates were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Both GRSs, the uGRS and wGRS, could be useful to evaluate the predisposition to hypertension in European adolescents.

A comparison of paediatric hypertension clinical practice guidelines and their ability to predict adult hypertension in an African birth cohort

It remains unclear which paediatric hypertension clinical practice guideline (CPG) should be applied in an African population. We, therefore, aimed to compare commonly used CPG (2017 AAP, 2016 ESH, 2004 Fourth Report) developed in high-income countries for use in South African children at four paediatric ages (children: 5 years, 8 years; adolescents: 13 years, 17 years) to determine which best predicts elevated blood pressure (BP) in adulthood (22 years, 28 years). Moreover, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for each specific paediatric CPG was calculated across the age points. The 2017 AAP definition identified more children and adolescents with hypertension when compared to the 2004 Fourth Report and 2016 ESH guidelines. In computed hazards ratios, ages 8 years to 17 years, all three paediatric CPG significantly predicted the risk of elevated BP in young adulthood (p ≤ 0.032). However, sensitivity to predict elevated BP at age 22 years for all CPG was generally low (17.0%-33.0%) with higher specificity (87.4%-93.1%). Sensitivity increased at age 28 years (51.4%-70.1%), while specificity decreased (52.8%-65.1%). Both PPV and NPV at both adult age points varied widely (17.9%-79.9% and 29.3%-92.5% respectively). The performance of these paediatric CPG in terms of AUC were not optimal at both adult age points, however, the 2017 AAP definition at age 17 years met an acceptable level of performance (AUC = 0.71). Our results, therefore, highlight the need for more research to examine if an African-specific CPG would better identify high-risk children to minimise their trajectory towards adult hypertension.

Childhood Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The global epidemic of youth-onset obesity is tightly linked to the rising burden of cardiometabolic disease across the lifespan. While the link between childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease is established, this contemporary review summarizes recent and novel advances in this field that elucidate the mechanisms and impact of this public health issue.

RECENT FINDINGS

The review highlights the emerging data supporting the relationship between childhood adverse events, social determinants of health, and systemic and institutional systems as etiological factors. We also provide updates on new screening and treatment approaches including updated nutrition and dietary guidelines and benchmarks for pediatric obesity screening, novel pharmacological agents for pediatric obesity and type 2 diabetes such as glucagon-like 1 peptide receptor agonists, and we discuss the long-term safety and efficacy data on surgical management of pediatric obesity. The global burden of pediatric obesity continues to rise and is associated with accelerated and early vascular aging especially in youth with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Socio-ecological determinants of risk mediate and moderate the relationship of childhood obesity with cardiometabolic disease. Recognizing the importance of neighborhood level influences as etiological factors in the development of cardiovascular disease is critical for designing effective policies and interventions. Novel surgical and pharmacological interventions are effective pediatric weight-loss interventions, but future research is needed to assess whether these agents, within a socio-ecological framework, will be associated with abatement of the pediatric obesity epidemic and related increased cardiovascular disease risk.

The longitudinal effects of maternal parenting practices on children's body mass index z-scores are lagged and differential

BACKGROUND

The longitudinal relation between parenting practices and styles with children's body mass index z-scores (zBMI) is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest the relationship may be complex, but small samples and short follow-ups diminish the strength of the evidence. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether the relationship is bidirectional, time-varying, and lagged using data from a large, representative birth cohort of Quebec children.

METHODS

Data were from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD), a prospective birth cohort (n = 1,602). The mothers' interactions with their children (at ages 6, 8, 10, and 12 years) were utilized in factor analysis to identify three latent parenting practices (disciplinarian, lenient, and responsive). The parenting practices were analyzed with K-means clustering to identify the parenting styles. The temporal and bidirectional relationships were assessed in a cross-lagged path analysis using a structural equation modelling framework. Mixed models controlling for age, sex, income, mother's education, and whether the participant was first-born were estimated. Missing data were handled with full information maximum likelihood.

RESULTS

From the linear mixed models, greater lenient and responsive parenting practices were associated with higher zBMI (B = 0.03, p < 0.05) two years later. However, there was no evidence that the relationship was bidirectional nor that parenting style was predictive of children's zBMI.

CONCLUSION

While mothers' parenting practices were unaffected by their children's zBMI, parental practices were predictive of future zBMI among their prepubertal children. More in-depth exploration of parenting practices and their potential impact on pediatric weight is needed.

Improving Clinical Care for Children With CKD: A Report From a National Kidney Foundation Scientific Workshop

Development of clinical guidelines and recommendations to address the care of pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has rarely included the perspectives of providers from a variety of health care disciplines or the patients and parents themselves. Accordingly, the National Kidney Foundation hosted an in-person, one and a half-day workshop that convened a multidisciplinary group of physicians, allied health care professionals, and pediatric patients with CKD and their parents, with the goal of developing key clinical recommendations regarding best practices for the clinical management of pediatric patients living with CKD. The key clinical recommendations pertained to 5 broad topics: addressing the needs of patients and parents/caregivers; modifying the progression of CKD; clinical management of CKD-mineral and bone disorder and growth retardation; clinical management of anemia, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension; and transition and transfer of pediatric patients to adult nephrology care. This report describes the recommendations generated by the participants who attended the workshop.

A lower energy intake contributes to a better cardiometabolic profile in adolescence: Data from the EPITeen cohort

Caloric restriction has been associated with improved cardiometabolic health. Available data in humans are commonly based on short follow-up periods, specific diets, or population groups. We hypothesized that participants of a population-based cohort (Epidemiological Health Investigation of Teenagers in Porto) with a dietary pattern characterized by a lower energy intake during adolescence have a better cardiometabolic profile in adolescence and young adulthood than other dietary patterns. At aged 13 and 21 year evaluations, diet, anthropometric, and cardiometabolic measures were assessed. Diet was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire and, at 13 years, summarized in dietary patterns identified by cluster analysis. The lower intake dietary pattern included 40% of the participants. The energy intake misreport was estimated using the Goldberg method. Analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were used to compare cardiometabolic risk factors according to dietary patterns. The mean energy intake was 2394 and 2242 Kcal/d for the total sample at aged 13 years (n = 962) and 21 years (n = 862), respectively. Those belonging to the lower intake dietary pattern showed a 25% and 5% lower energy intake, respectively. In the cross-sectional analysis at aged 13, adolescents belonging to the lower intake dietary pattern presented lower glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and blood pressure values after adjusting for body mass index and parents' education level. Among the plausible reporters, differences were only statistically significant for glucose and systolic blood pressure. Our data support that a dietary pattern characterized by a lower energy intake may contribute to a better cardiometabolic profile in adolescents. However, no significant effect was found in young adulthood.

Effects of a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Program on Anthropomorphic and Cardiometabolic Variables in School Children with Overweight and Obesity

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program on anthropomorphic and cardiometabolic variables in schoolchildren with overweight and obesity. A total of 443 schoolchildren (age: 6.37 ± 0.65 years) took part in this study. The experimental group (EG; n = 295; age = 6.40 ± 0.64 years) was compound with children with overweight and obesity, whereas children with normoweight were included in the control group (CG; n = 148; 6.31 ± 0.67 years). The EG performed a training program based on HIIT two times per week for 28 weeks (56 sessions), whilst the CG performed their habitual physical education classes based on the national curriculum. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat, ∑ 4 skinfold fat, waist to height ratio, waist circumference, and cardiometabolic risk were measured. The dependent variables were analysed by two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA 2 × 2). To analyse the percentage differences between groups, the chi-square test was used. P-value was set at p < 0.05. Significant differences were found in the EG in BMI, waist circumference, body fat, ∑ 4 skinfold fat, and waist to height ratio. In conclusion, an HIIT training program can be an effective tool for improving anthropomorphic variables and reducing cardiometabolic risk in schoolchildren with overweight and obesity.

Lipid Biomarkers and Atherosclerosis-Old and New in Cardiovascular Risk in Childhood

Lipids are a complex group of molecules in the body, essential as structural, functional and metabolic components. When disbalanced, they are regarded as a cardiovascular risk factor, traditionally in cholesterol level evaluation. However, due to their complex nature, much research is still needed for a comprehensive understanding of their role in atherosclerosis, especially in the young. Several new lipid biomarkers are emerging, some already researched to a point, such as lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. Other lipid molecules are also being increasingly researched, including oxidized forms due to oxidative inflammation in atherosclerosis, and sphingolipids. For many, even those less new, the atherogenic potential is not clear and no clinical recommendations are in place to aid the clinician in using them in everyday clinical practice. Moreover, lipids' involvement in atherogenesis in children has yet to be elucidated. This review summarizes the current knowledge on lipids as biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population.

Accelerated vascular age in adolescents with primary hypertension

BACKGROUND

Primary hypertension may lead to early vascular ageing. We aimed to evaluate differences between expected vascular age based on pulse wave velocity (PWV)/carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and actual chronological age (CHA) in adolescents with primary hypertension.

METHODS

Three hundred and fifty-two children (median age of 15.5 years) with office hypertension and 64 normotensive healthy children of the same age underwent anthropometry, office and ambulatory blood pressure (BP), left ventricular mass index, cIMT, PWV, pulse wave analysis and biochemistry measurements. Vascular age was calculated using pooled pediatric and adult normative PWV and cIMT data. The difference between vascular age and CHA was calculated in relation to the 90th percentile for PWV (PWVAgeDiff90) and the 95th percentile for cIMT (cIMTAgeDiff95).

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-six patients had white-coat hypertension (WCH), 32 had ambulatory prehypertension (AmbPreHT), 55 had isolated systolic hypertension with normal central SBP (ISH+cSBPn), 99 had elevated office, ambulatory and cSBP (true hypertension, tHT). The differences between vascular age (both PWV and cIMT based) and CHA were significantly higher in AmbPreHT and tHT compared with normotension, WCH and ISH+cSBPn. Median PWVAgeDidff90 was -3.2, -1.2, -2.1, +0.8 and +0.3 years in normotension, WCH, ISH+cSBPn, AmbPreHT and tHT, respectively. Median cIMTAgeDiff95 was -8.0, -6.3, -6.8, -3.8 and -4.3 years in normotension, WCH, ISH+cSBPn, AmbPreHT and tHT, respectively. Significant predictors of PWVAge90Diff were the DBP and serum cholesterol, whereas cSBP and augmentation index were significant predictors of cIMTAgeDiff95.

CONCLUSION

Children with AmbPreHT and tHT show accelerated vascular age compared with their normotensive peers.

Hyperemesis gravidarum severity, enteral tube feeding and cardiometabolic markers in offspring cord blood

This study aimed to investigate the association between hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) severity and early enteral tube feeding on cardiometabolic markers in offspring cord blood. We included women admitted for HG, who participated in the MOTHER randomised controlled trial (RCT) and observational cohort. The MOTHER RCT showed that early enteral tube feeding in addition to standard care did not affect symptoms/birth outcomes. Among RCT and cohort participants, we assessed how HG severity affected lipid, c-peptide, glucose and free thyroxine cord blood levels. HG severity measures were severity of vomiting at inclusion and 3 weeks after inclusion, pregnancy weight gain and 24-h energy intake at inclusion, readmissions and duration of hospital admissions. Cord blood measures were also compared between RCT participants allocated to enteral tube feeding and those receiving standard care. Between 2013-2016, 215 women were included: 115 RCT and 100 cohort participants. Eighty-one cord blood samples were available. Univariable not multivariable regression analysis showed that lower maternal weight gain was associated with higher cord blood glucose levels (β: -0·08, 95% CI -0·16, -0·00). Lower maternal weight gain was associated with higher Apo-B cord blood levels in multivariable regression analysis (β: -0·01, 95% CI -0·02, -0·01). No associations were found between other HG severity measures or allocation to enteral tube feeding and cord blood cardiometabolic markers. In conclusion, while lower maternal weight gain was associated with higher Apo-B cord blood levels, no other HG severity measures were linked with cord blood cardiometabolic markers, nor were these markers affected by enteral tube feeding.

Maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy as a predictor of childhood lipid levels: a prospective cohort study

Background

Maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy are associated with maternal health and foetal growth. It is however unclear if maternal lipids in early pregnancy can be used to predict childhood lipid levels. The aim of this study is to assess the association between maternal and offspring childhood lipid levels, and to investigate the influence of maternal BMI and diet on these associations.

Methods

This study included 2692 women participating in the Generation R study, an ongoing population-based prospective cohort study from early life onwards. Women with an expected delivery date between 2002 and 2006 living in Rotterdam, the Netherlands were included. Total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) were measured in early pregnancy (median 13.2 weeks [90% range 10.6; 17.1]). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), remnant cholesterol and non-HDL-c were calculated. Corresponding lipid measurements were determined in 2692 children at the age of 6 (median 6.0 years [90% range 5.7; 7.5]) and 1673 children 10 years (median 9.7 years [90% range 9.5; 10.3]). Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy and the corresponding childhood lipid measurements at the ages of 6 and 10 years while adjusting for confounders.

Results

Maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy are positively associated with corresponding childhood lipid levels 6 and 10 years after pregnancy, independent of maternal body mass index and diet.

Conclusions

Maternal lipid levels in early pregnancy may provide an insight to the lipid profile of children years later. Gestational lipid levels may therefore be used as an early predictor of children’s long-term health. Monitoring of these gestational lipid levels may give a window-of-opportunity to start early interventions to decrease offspring’s lipid levels and possibly diminish their cardiovascular risk later in life. Future studies are warranted to investigate the genetic contribution on maternal lipid levels in pregnancy and lipid levels of their offspring years later.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04905-7.

Obesity risk is associated with brain glucose uptake and insulin resistance

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether alterations in brain glucose uptake (BGU), insulin action in the brain-liver axis and whole-body insulin sensitivity occur in young adults in pre-obese state.

METHODS

Healthy males with either high risk (HR; n = 19) or low risk (LR; n = 22) for developing obesity were studied with [18F]fluoro-d-glucose ([18F]FDG)-positron emission tomography during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Obesity risk was assessed according to BMI, physical activity and parental overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes. Brain, skeletal muscle, brown adipose tissue (BAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and abdominal and femoral s.c. adipose tissue (SAT) glucose uptake (GU) rates were measured. Endogenous glucose production (EGP) was calculated by subtracting the exogenous glucose infusion rate from the rate of disappearance of [18F]FDG. BGU was analyzed using statistical parametric mapping, and peripheral tissue activity was determined using Carimas Software imaging processing platform.

RESULTS

BGU was higher in the HR vs LR group and correlated inversely with whole-body insulin sensitivity (M value) in the HR group but not in the LR group. Insulin-suppressed EGP did not differ between the groups but correlated positively with BGU in the whole population, and the correlation was driven by the HR group. Skeletal muscle, BAT, VAT, abdominal and femoral SAT GU were lower in the HR group as compared to the LR group. Muscle GU correlated negatively with BGU in the HR group but not in the LR group.

CONCLUSION

Increased BGU, alterations in insulin action in the brain-liver axis and decreased whole-body insulin sensitivity occur early in pre-obese state.

Relation between obesity-related comorbidities and kidney function estimation in children

BACKGROUND

The current childhood obesity pandemic is likely to result in an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) later in life. Correlations between obesity-related comorbidities and kidney function can be found, but it is unclear to what extent this is caused by bias due to different mathematical forms of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations. The present study aimed to analyze correlations between obesity-related comorbidities and different eGFR equations and to investigate whether rescaled serum creatinine (SCr/Q) for sex and age or height might be an alternative biomarker for kidney function estimation.

METHODS

This cross-sectional cohort study included 600 children with overweight and obesity. Mean age was 12.20 ± 3.28 years, 53.5% were female, and mean BMI z-score was 3.31 ± 0.75. All children underwent a comprehensive assessment that included anthropometrical and blood pressure measurements, laboratory examination, air displacement plethysmography, and polysomnography. Qage and Qheight polynomials were used to rescale SCr and multiple creatinine-based eGFR equations were compared.

RESULTS

SCr/Q and almost all GFR estimations significantly correlated with a waist-to-hip ratio, fat mass, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and triacylglyceride, HDL cholesterol, alanine transaminase, and serum uric acid concentrations. Multiple correlations, however, were not confirmed by all equations, which suggests dependency on the mathematical form of the different eGFR equations.

CONCLUSIONS

Correlations between obesity-related comorbidities and creatinine-based eGFR are present in children with overweight and obesity, but depend to a large extent on the eGFR equation of choice. SCr/Q might be an alternative biomarker for assessing correlations between obesity-related comorbidities and kidney function in children with overweight and obesity. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

No Mediation Effect of Telomere Length or Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number on the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Central Arterial Stiffness

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Previous reports have suggested that accelerated biological aging—indexed by telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn)—may contribute to associations between ACEs and cardiovascular health outcomes. Here, we examine the potential mediating effects of TL and mtDNAcn on the association between ACEs and central arterial stiffness—an intermediate cardiovascular health outcome—as a novel pathway linking ACEs to CVD risk among young adults.

Methods and Results

One hundred and eighty‐five (n=102 women; mean age, 22.5±1.5 years) individuals provided information on ACEs. TL (kb per diploid cell) and mtDNAcn (copies per diploid cell) were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction techniques. Central arterial stiffness was measured as carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV; m/s). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between ACEs, TL, mtDNAcn, and cfPWV. ACEs were positively associated with cfPWV ( β =0.147, P =0.035). TL ( β =−0.170, P =0.011) and mtDNAcn ( β =−0.159, P =0.019) were inversely associated with cfPWV. Neither TL ( β =−0.027, P =0.726) nor mtDNAcn ( β =0.038, P =0.620) was associated with ACEs. Neither marker mediated the association between ACEs and cfPWV.

Conclusions

An increasing number of ACEs were associated with a faster cfPWV and thus, a greater degree of central arterial stiffness. ACEs were not associated with either TL or mtDNAcn, suggesting that these markers do not represent a mediating pathway linking ACEs to central arterial stiffness.

Association of Recess Provision With Elementary School-Aged Children's Physical Activity, Adiposity, and Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness

PURPOSE

To identify associations between amount of school recess provision and children's physical activity (PA), weight status, adiposity, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, and muscular endurance.

METHOD

Data from 6- to 11-year-old participants (n = 499) in the 2012 National Youth Fitness Survey were analyzed. Parents/guardians reported children's PA levels and recess provision, categorized as no/minimal (9.0%), low (26.1%), medium (46.0%), or high (18.9%). Children wore a wrist-worn accelerometer for 7 days and completed anthropometric measurements. Fitness was assessed using grip strength and treadmill, pull-up, and plank tests. Cross-sectional linear and logistic regression compared outcomes across levels of recess provision adjusting for the survey's complex sampling design.

RESULTS

Children with high provision of recess were 2.31 times more likely to meet PA guidelines according to parent report than those with no/minimal recess. Accelerometer-measured PA followed a more U-shaped pattern, wherein PA was higher in children with high, compared to low, recess provision but comparable to those with no/minimal recess provision. There were no associations with weight status, adiposity, or fitness.

CONCLUSION

Current recess recommendations (20 min·d-1) may be insufficient as 30 minutes per day of recess was associated with a 2-fold greater likelihood of achieving recommended PA levels. Additional research on recess quantity and quality is needed.

Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence among High School First-Year Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Taiwan

Different types of high schools in Taiwan have the same physical education curriculum. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between senior and vocational high school students. We retrospectively collected health check-up data from 81,076 first-year senior and 68,863 vocational high school students in Taipei City from 2011 to 2014, including their blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL-c levels. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was determined using definitions from the Taiwan Pediatric Association (TPA), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and de Ferranti et al. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 1.73% (senior and vocational high school students: 1.22% and 2.33%, respectively) using TPA criteria, 1.02% (0.69% and 1.40%, respectively) using IDF criteria, and 5.11% (3.92% and 6.51%, respectively) using de Ferranti et al. criteria. The most prevalent risk factors overall were increased blood pressure and central obesity. Given the significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in vocational school students regardless of the criteria, and that metabolic syndrome causes future adult health risks, the physical education curriculum and health education program in vocational schools should be strengthened to decrease the risk and prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

Life-Course Associations between Blood Pressure-Related Polygenic Risk Scores and Hypertension in the Bogalusa Heart Study

Genetic information may help to identify individuals at increased risk for hypertension in early life, prior to the manifestation of elevated blood pressure (BP) values. We examined 369 Black and 832 White Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS) participants recruited in childhood and followed for approximately 37 years. The multi-ancestry genome-wide polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and hypertension were tested for an association with incident hypertension and stage 2 hypertension using Cox proportional hazards models. Race-stratified analyses were adjusted for baseline age, age2, sex, body mass index, genetic principal components, and BP. In Black participants, each standard deviation increase in SBP and DBP PRS conferred a 38% (p = 0.009) and 22% (p = 0.02) increased risk of hypertension and a 74% (p < 0.001) and 50% (p < 0.001) increased risk of stage 2 hypertension, respectively, while no association was observed with the hypertension PRSs. In Whites, each standard deviation increase in SBP, DBP, and hypertension PRS conferred a 24% (p < 0.05), 29% (p = 0.01), and 25% (p < 0.001) increased risk of hypertension, and a 27% (p = 0.08), 29% (0.01), and 42% (p < 0.001) increased risk of stage 2 hypertension, respectively. The addition of BP PRSs to the covariable-only models generally improved the C-statistics (p < 0.05). Multi-ancestry BP PRSs demonstrate the utility of genomic information in the early life prediction of hypertension.