Leptin at birth and at age 7 in relation to appetitive behaviors at age 7 and age 10

Sleep duration is associated with appetitive traits in school-age years - results from the Generation XXI birth cohort

Sleep may influence appetite regulation through physiological and neurocognitive pathways. However, the association between sleep and appetite in childhood has been scarcely reported, particularly using a prospective design. We aimed to test associations between sleep duration at 7 years of age (y) and appetitive traits at both 7 and 10 y. Participants are from the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI (Porto, Portugal), at 7 (n = 2437) and 10 y (n = 1938) follow-ups. Data on sleep was gathered at 7 y and, considering bedtime and get-up time, total mean sleep duration was calculated and further categorized according to the 10th and 90th percentiles. Appetitive traits were assessed at 7 and 10 y using the parent-reported Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Associations were tested through Generalized Linear Models (co-variates: child's sex; maternal age, education and pre-pregnancy body mass index at 7 y). At 10 y, associations were further adjusted for the respective appetitive trait at 7 y. Children slept a mean of 10.2 h/night, and 13% and 9% slept ≤9.5 and ≥ 11.0 h/night at 7 y, respectively. For each additional hour in sleep duration, children scored 0.078 (99%CI: -0.145; -0.011) lower on Food Responsiveness, 0.065 (99%CI: -0.129; -0.002) lower on Emotional Undereating and 0.096 (99%CI: -0.161; -0.032) lower on Food Fussiness. Lastly, children sleeping ≤9.5 h/night scored higher on Food Responsiveness (β = 0.145 99%CI: 0.020; 0.271); while those sleeping ≥11.0 h/night scored lower on Food Fussiness (β = -0.255 99%CI: -0.370; -0.079). No significant prospective associations were found. In conclusion, in 7 y children, sleep duration was cross-sectionally associated with lower scores on food approach (Food Responsiveness) and avoidant traits (Emotional Undereating and Food Fussiness). However, the magnitude of the associations was small and further studies are warranted.

Are decreased cocaine- and amphetamine regulated transcript and Agouti- related peptide levels associated Eating behavior in medication-free children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder?

This study aimed to investigate plasma levels of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), agouti-related protein (AgRP), cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY) and their relationship with eating behaviors among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and healthy controls. A total of 94 medication-free children with ADHD and 82 controls aged 8-14 years were included in this study. The Plasma levels of CART, AgRP, CCK and PYY were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) was used to assess eating behaviors in children. CART and AgRP levels were found to be significantly lower in the ADHD group than in the control group, while CCK levels were found to be significantly higher in the ADHD group than in the control group. However, there was no significant difference in PYY levels between the groups. Compared to controls, those with ADHD demonstrated significantly higher scores on the CEBQ subscales of food responsiveness, emotional overeating, desire to drink, enjoyment of food, and food fussiness, and significantly lower scores on the slowness of eating subscale. CART was significantly correlated with emotional overeating and enjoyment of food scores, while AgRP was significantly correlated with emotional undereating scores. Covariance analysis was performed by controlling potential confounders such as body mass index, age and sex, and the results were found to be unchanged. It was concluded that CART, AgRP, and CCK may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of ADHD.

Molecular pathways in placental-fetal development and disruption

The first trimester of pregnancy ranks high in priority when minimizing harmful exposures, given the wide-ranging types of organogenesis occurring between 4- and 12-weeks' gestation. One way to quantify potential harm to the fetus in the first trimester is to measure a corollary effect on the placenta. Placental biomarkers are widely present in maternal circulation, cord blood, and placental tissue biopsied at birth or at the time of pregnancy termination. Here we evaluate ten diverse pathways involving molecules expressed in the first trimester human placenta based on their relevance to normal fetal development and to the hypothesis of placental-fetal endocrine disruption (perturbation in development that results in abnormal endocrine function in the offspring), namely: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), thyroid hormone regulation, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor protein gamma (PPARγ), leptin, transforming growth factor beta, epiregulin, growth differentiation factor 15, small nucleolar RNAs, serotonin, and vitamin D. Some of these are well-established as biomarkers of placental-fetal endocrine disruption, while others are not well studied and were selected based on discovery analyses of the placental transcriptome. A literature search on these biomarkers summarizes evidence of placenta-specific production and regulation of each biomarker, and their role in fetal reproductive tract, brain, and other specific domains of fetal development. In this review, we extend the theory of fetal programming to placental-fetal programming.

Weight trajectories from birth to 5 years and child appetitive traits at 7 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study

Rapid prenatal and postnatal weight gain seem to alter appetite regulation and hypothalamic functions through different pathways; however, little is known on how early life growth trajectories may influence appetitive traits in school-age. We aimed to explore the associations between weight trajectories from birth to 5 years and appetitive traits at 7. Participants were from the Generation XXI birth cohort (n 3855). Four weight trajectories were investigated: 'normal weight gain' (closely overlaps the 50th percentile in the weight-for-age curve), 'weight gain during infancy' (low birth weight and weight gain mainly during infancy), 'weight gain during childhood' (continuous weight gain since birth) and 'persistent weight gain' (always showing higher weight than the average). Appetitive traits were assessed through the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Associations were tested using generalised linear models, adjusted for maternal and child characteristics. Compared with 'normal weight gain', those in the other growth trajectories showed greater enjoyment of food and eating in response to food stimuli (i.e. Food Responsiveness) but were less able to compensate for prior food intake and ate faster at 7 (i.e. less Satiety Responsiveness and Slowness in Eating). Also, those with 'weight gain during infancy' showed to have greater Emotional Overeating and less Emotional Undereating and were fussier. Associations were stronger if greater weight gain occurred during infancy. Early infancy seems to be a sensitive period in the development of later appetitive traits. The control of rapid growth during infancy, besides strategies focused on the overall environment where children are living, is necessary.

Association between intelligence quotient scores and body mass index in pediatric multiple sclerosis

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and intelligence quotient scores (IQ). The sample included 11 patients with pediatric multiple sclerosis between 8 and 17 years, mean age 14.45 years (SD = 2.69). The BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children V and the Abbreviated Weschler Intelligence Scale were used to measure total IQ. Average sample BMI and IQ were 24.61 (SD = 5.53) (range: 19-39.4) and 86.63 (SD = 14.79) (range: 66-111), respectively. Results of the Pearson correlation indicated that there was a significant negative association between BMI and IQ, (r = -0.608, p = 0.042). R-squared was 0.370. We discuss if lower IQ lead to BMI gains or whether overweight/obesity lead to intellectual functioning changes. Implication for practice and future research are presented.

Appetitive behaviors and body composition in school-age years: Bi-directional analyses in a population-based birth cohort

Cross-sectional studies have consistently associated appetitive behaviors with child body mass index. However, few prospective studies have investigated the association between appetite and other measures of body composition and its directionality. We aimed to investigate the bi-directional relationship between appetitive behaviors and body composition in school-aged children. Data from 3668 children of the Generation XXI birth cohort were analyzed. Appetitive behaviors were assessed at 7 and 10 years through the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Higher fat mass and fat-free mass were measured through tetrapolar bioelectric impedance and waist-to-weight and waist-to-height ratios were calculated. Fat and fat-free mass indexes, waist-to-weight and waist-to-height age- and sex-specific z-scores were then calculated. Cross-lagged analyses were performed (body composition at 7 to appetitive behaviors at 10 and the reverse) to measure the magnitude and direction of associations. Fat mass and waist-to-height ratio at 7y predicted greater food approach behaviors at 10y (Enjoyment of Food, Food Responsiveness, Desire to Drink and Emotional Overeating), but not waist-to-weight, which seems to be consequence of child's avid appetite (e.g. Enjoyment of Food at 7y: β_standardized = 0.085, 95%CI = 0.041; 0.128, p < 0.001). Child scores on food avoidant behaviors, such as Satiety Responsiveness (β_standardized = -0.073, 95%CI = -0.110;-0.034, p < 0.001) and Slowness in Eating (β_standardized = -0.080, 95% CI = -0.120;-0.041, p < 0.001) at 7y predicted lower fat-free mass at 10. Appetitive behaviors may not solely predict weight status, but the path of association between body composition and later appetitive behavior may also be true, especially for food approaching behaviors and adipose tissue. Interventions aiming to prevent excess weight should focus on appetitive behaviors. Moreover, in children with higher adiposity, other pathways also seem to regulate appetite and need to be considered in interventions.