Birth outcomes in relation to neighborhood food access and individual food insecurity during pregnancy in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-wide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Limited access to healthy foods, resulting from residence in neighborhoods with low-food access or from household food insecurity, is a public health concern. Contributions of these measures during pregnancy to birth outcomes remain understudied. OBJECTIVES: We examined associations between neighborhood food access and individual food insecurity during pregnancy with birth outcomes. METHODS: We used data from 53 cohorts participating in the nationwide Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes-Wide Cohort Study. Participant inclusion required a geocoded residential address or response to a food insecurity question during pregnancy and information on birth outcomes. Exposures include low-income-low-food-access (LILA, where the nearest supermarket is >0.5 miles for urban or >10 miles for rural areas) or low-income-low-vehicle-access (LILV, where few households have a vehicle and >0.5 miles from the nearest supermarket) neighborhoods and individual food insecurity. Mixed-effects models estimated associations with birth outcomes, adjusting for socioeconomic and pregnancy characteristics. RESULTS: Among 22,206 pregnant participants (mean age 30.4 y) with neighborhood food access data, 24.1% resided in LILA neighborhoods and 13.6% in LILV neighborhoods. Of 1630 pregnant participants with individual-level food insecurity data (mean age 29.7 y), 8.0% experienced food insecurity. Residence in LILA (compared with non-LILA) neighborhoods was associated with lower birth weight [ß -44.3 g; 95% confidence interval (CI): -62.9, -25.6], lower birth weight-for-gestational-age z-score (-0.09 SD units; -0.12, -0.05), higher odds of small-for-gestational-age [odds ratio (OR) 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.33], and lower odds of large-for-gestational-age (0.85; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.94). Similar findings were observed for residence in LILV neighborhoods. No associations of individual food insecurity with birth outcomes were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Residence in LILA or LILV neighborhoods during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. These findings highlight the need for future studies examining whether investing in neighborhood resources to improve food access during pregnancy would promote equitable birth outcomes.

In utero metabolomic signatures of refined grain intake and risk of gestational diabetes: A metabolome-wide association study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic evidence has linked refined grain intake to a higher risk of gestational diabetes (GDM), but the biological underpinnings remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify and validate refined grain-related metabolomic biomarkers for GDM risk. METHODS: In a metabolome-wide association study of 91 cases with GDM and 180 matched controls without GDM (discovery set) nested in the prospective Pregnancy Environment and Lifestyle Study (PETALS), refined grain intake during preconception and early pregnancy and serum untargeted metabolomics were assessed at gestational weeks 10-13. We identified refined grain-related metabolites using multivariable linear regression and examined their prospective associations with GDM risk using conditional logistic regression. We further examined the predictivity of refined grain-related metabolites selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression in the discovery set and validation set (a random PETALS subsample of 38 individuals with and 336 without GDM). RESULTS: Among 821 annotated serum (87.4% fasting) metabolites, 42 were associated with refined grain intake, of which 17 (70.6% in glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids clusters) were associated with subsequent GDM risk (all false discovery rate-adjusted P values <0.05). Adding 7 of 17 metabolites to a conventional risk factor-based prediction model increased the C-statistic for GDM risk in the discovery set from 0.71 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.77) to 0.77 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.83) and in the validation set from 0.77 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.86) to 0.81 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.89), both with P-for-difference <0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Clusters of glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids may be implicated in the association between refined grain intake and GDM risk, as demonstrated by the significant associations of these metabolites with both refined grains and GDM risk and the incremental predictive value of these metabolites for GDM risk beyond the conventional risk factors. These findings provide evidence on the potential biological underpinnings linking refined grain intake to the risk of GDM and help identify novel disease-related dietary biomarkers to inform diet-related preventive strategies for GDM.

Glycemic Control Trajectories and Risk of Perinatal Complications Among Individuals With Gestational Diabetes.

Importance: Glycemic control is the cornerstone of gestational diabetes management. Glycemic control trajectories account for differences in longitudinal patterns throughout pregnancy; however, studies on glycemic control trajectories are scarce. Objective: To examine whether glycemic control trajectories from gestational diabetes diagnosis to delivery were associated with differential risk of perinatal complications. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study included individuals with gestational diabetes with longitudinal electronic health record data from preconception to delivery who received prenatal care at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) and were enrolled in KPNC's telemedicine-based gestational diabetes care program between January 2007 and December 2017. Data analysis was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022. Exposures: Glycemic control trajectories were derived using latent class modeling based on the American Diabetes Association's recommended self-monitoring of blood glucose measurements. Optimal glycemic control was defined as at least 80% of all measurements meeting the targets at KPNC clinical settings. Main Outcomes and Measures: Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate the associations of glycemic control trajectories with cesarean delivery, preterm birth, shoulder dystocia, large- and small-for-gestational-age, and neonatal intensive care unit admission and stay of 7 days or longer. Results: Among a total of 26 774 individuals (mean [SD] age, 32.9 [5.0] years; 11 196 Asian or Pacific Islander individuals [41.8%], 1083 Black individuals [4.0%], 7500 Hispanic individuals [28.0%], and 6049 White individuals [22.6%]), 4 glycemic control trajectories were identified: stably optimal (10 528 individuals [39.3%]), rapidly improving to optimal (9151 individuals [34.2%]), slowly improving to near-optimal (4161 individuals [15.5%]), and slowly improving to suboptimal (2934 individuals [11.0%]). In multivariable models with the rapidly improving to optimal trajectory group as the reference group, glycemic control trajectories were associated with perinatal complications with a gradient across stably optimal to slowly improving to suboptimal. For individuals in the stably optimal trajectory group, there were lower risks of cesarean delivery (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89-0.96]), shoulder dystocia (aRR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61-0.92]), large-for-gestational age (aRR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.69-0.80]), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (aRR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.83-0.97]), while for patients in the slowly improving to suboptimal glycemic control trajectory group, risks were higher for cesarean delivery (aRR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.12-1.24]; (P for trend < .001), shoulder dystocia (aRR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.12-1.78]; P for trend < .001), large-for-gestational-age (aRR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.31-1.53]; P for trend < .001), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (aRR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.20-1.47]; P for trend < .001). The risk of small-for-gestational-age was higher in patients in the stably optimal group (aRR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.02-1.20]) and lower in the slowly improving to suboptimal group (aRR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.53-0.75]). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that slowly improving to near-optimal and slowly improving to suboptimal glycemic control trajectories were associated with increased risk of perinatal complications. Future interventions should help individuals achieve glycemic control early after gestational diabetes diagnosis and throughout pregnancy to decrease the risk of perinatal complications.

Longitudinal Associations of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Pregnancy with Neonatal Anthropometry: Results from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort.

Despite increasing interest in the health effects of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), their roles in fetal and neonatal growth remain understudied. Within the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies­Singleton Cohort, we prospectively investigated the associations of individual and subclasses of plasma phospholipid PUFAs at gestational weeks (GW) 10−14, 15−26, 23−31, and 33−39 with neonatal anthropometric measures as surrogates for fetal growth among 107 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 214 non-GDM controls. Multivariable weighted linear regression models estimated the associations between plasma phospholipid PUFAs and neonatal anthropometric measures. Adjusted beta coefficients for phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per standard deviation (SD) increase at GW 23−31 in association with birthweight z-score, neonatal length, and neonatal fat mass were 0.25 (95% CI: 0.08−0.41), 0.57 (0.11−1.03) cm, and 54.99 (23.57−86.42) g, respectively; all false discovery rates (FDRs) < 0.05. Estimated Δ5-desaturase activity per SD increase at GW 33−39 but not at other time points was positively associated with birthweight z-score: 0.29 (95% CI: 0.08−0.33); neonatal length: 0.61 (0.29−0.94) cm; and neonatal fat mass: 32.59 (8.21−56.96) g; all FDRs < 0.05. Longitudinal analysis showed consistent results. Our findings suggest that mid-to-late pregnancy presented as critical windows for primarily diet-derived DHA and Δ5-desaturase activity in relation to neonatal anthropometric measures.

Determinants of nutritional status during the first 1000 days of life in Lebanon: Sex of the child matters.

BACKGROUND: The first 1000 days of life support child growth and long-term health, but few studies address this period in Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean Region. OBJECTIVE: To examine the determinants of nutritional status among Lebanese children ≤2 years old by child's sex. METHODS: We analysed data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 466 mother-child dyads. We classified socio-economic, maternal, and child characteristics using a hierarchical conceptual framework into distal, intermediate, and proximal levels, respectively. Sex-stratified weighted multiple linear regression was computed to identify the determinants of length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) and weight-for-length z-scores (WLZ). RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) of LAZ and WLZ was -0.3 (1.6) and 0.5 (1.5) among boys and -0.1 (1.4) and 0.5 (1.0) among girls, respectively. At the distal level, maternal intermediate or high school education was associated with higher boys' LAZ (ß 1.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2, 1.8), and less crowded households were associated with higher girls' LAZ (ß 0.8, 95% CI 0.3, 1.4). At the intermediate level, maternal obesity was associated with lower girls' LAZ (ß -0.9, 95% CI -1.4, -0.4). At the proximal level, birth length directly (ß 0.1, 95% CI 0.0, 0.2) and breast-feeding duration inversely (ß -0.1, 95% CI -0.1, -0.0) associated with girls' LAZ. For WLZ, paternal attainment of university degree or technical diploma was associated with lower boys' WLZ (ß -0.9, 95% CI -1.8, -0.1). Among the proximal determinants, birthweight was directly associated with boys' WLZ (ß 1.2, 95% CI 0.6, 1.8), while being a third or later child was associated with lower girls' WLZ (ß -0.5, 95% CI -0.8, -0.2). Child age was directly associated with WLZ among boys and girls (ß 0.1, 95% CI 0.0, 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional status determinants differed by child's sex in Lebanon. These findings may help inform interventions to improve child growth.

The Gut Microbiota: A Promising Target in the Relation between Complementary Feeding and Child Undernutrition.

Child undernutrition is a major public health challenge that is persistent and disproportionately prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. Undernourished children face adverse health, economic, and social consequences that can be intergenerational. The first 1000 days of life, from conception until the child's second birthday, constitute the period of greatest vulnerability to undernutrition. The transition process from milk-based diets to solid, semi-solid, and soft food and liquids other than milk, referred to as complementary feeding (CF), occurs between the age of 6 mo and 2 y. CF practices that do not meet the WHO's guiding principles and are lacking in both quality and quantity increase susceptibility to undernutrition, restrict growth, and jeopardize child development and survival. The gut microbiota develops toward an adult-like configuration within the first 2-3 y of life. Recent studies suggest that significant changes in the gut microbial composition and functional capacity occur during the CF period, but these studies were conducted in high-income countries. Research in low- and middle-income countries, on the other hand, has implicated a disrupted gut microbiota in child undernutrition, and animal experiments reveal the potential for a causal relation. Given the growing body of evidence for a plausible role of the gut microbiota in the link between CF and undernutrition, microbiota-targeted complementary food may be a promising treatment modality for undernutrition management. The aims of this paper are to review the evidence for the relation between CF and undernutrition and to highlight the potential of the gut microbiota to be a promising target in this relation. Our summary of the current state of the knowledge in this area provides a foundation for future research and helps inform the design of interventions targeting the gut microbiota to combat child undernutrition and promote healthy growth.

Validity and Reproducibility of a Culture-Specific Food Frequency Questionnaire in Lebanon.

This study aims to assess the validity and reproducibility of a culture-specific semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for Lebanese adults. The 94-item FFQ captures intake of traditional Mediterranean dishes and Western food, reflective of current Lebanese nutrition transition. Among 107 participants (18-65 years), the FFQ was administered at baseline (FFQ-1) and one year thereafter (FFQ-2); 2-3 24-h recalls (24-HRs)/season were collected for a total of 8-12 over four seasons. A subset (n = 67) provided a fasting blood sample in the fall. Spearman-correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman plots, joint-classification and (ICC) were calculated. Mean intakes from FFQ-2 were higher than from the total 24-HRs. Correlations for diet from FFQ-2 and 24-HRs ranged from 0.17 for α-carotene to 0.65 for energy. Joint classification in the same/adjacent quartile ranged from 74.8% to 95%. FFQ-2-plasma carotenoid correlations ranged from 0.18 for lutein/zeaxanthin to 0.59 for ß-carotene. Intra-class correlations for FFQ-1 and FFQ-2 ranged from 0.36 for ß-cryptoxanthin to 0.85 for energy. 24-HRs carotenoid intake varied by season; combining season-specific 24-HRs proximal to biospecimen collection to the FFQ-2 improved diet-biochemical correlations. By applying dietary data from two tools with biomarkers taking into consideration seasonal variation, we report a valid, reproducible Lebanese FFQ for use in diet-disease research.

Exclusive breastfeeding during the 40-day rest period and at six months in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months of life with well-established benefits to the mother and child. The traditional practice of the 40-day rest period helps establish and maintain exclusive breastfeeding. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and examine the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at 40 days and at 6 months in Lebanon. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2011-2012 as part of the "Early Life Nutrition and Health in Lebanon" study. A nationally representative sample of 1005 children aged five years or younger and their mothers was drawn from households using a stratified cluster sampling design. Trained nutritionists interviewed eligible mothers about sociodemographic characteristics of the household and maternal and child characteristics including infant feeding practices. Anthropometric measurements of the mother and child were collected. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the characteristics associated with exclusive breastfeeding. RESULTS: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 41.5% at 40 days and 12.3% at 6 months. Children in families with three or more children had higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding for 40 days (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 1.76, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.19, 2.60). Children in families owning two or more cars had lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding for 40 days (AOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.24, 0.83) and at 6 months (AOR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14, 0.77). Similarly, children delivered via Caesarian section had lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding for 40 days (AOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.34, 0.71) and at 6 months (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.24, 0.65). The odds of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months were lower among children of overweight (AOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26, 0.95) or obese (AOR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32, 0.98) mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The association between higher socio-economic status, as reflected by car ownership, and C-section delivery with lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding persisted across the first 6 months in Lebanon. Future research should investigate the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in prospective cohort studies and help to better understand the cultural practice of the 40-day rest period in relation to breastfeeding.

Gender equity in planning, development and management of human resources for health: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Gender equity remains a challenge across various labor markets with the health market being no exception. Despite the increased influx of women into health professions, horizontal and vertical occupational gender inequities persist. MAIN BODY: The objective of this scoping review is to map the studies on gender equity in healthcare systems in terms of workforce planning, development, and management, as well as to identify the barriers and facilitators for integrating gender equity into healthcare systems. We reviewed the literature on the topic using nine electronic and two grey literature databases with the search strategy combining medical subheadings and keywords for each of the following four concepts of interest: "gender equity," "human resources for health," "healthcare setting," and "management processes." The scoping review included studies focusing on the examination of gender equity at the level of the health workforce. Out of 20,242 studies identified through the database search, the full text of 367 articles was assessed for eligibility and 110 were included in the qualitative analysis. The data of those studies was abstracted and analyzed into themes. Results do not only reveal a global dearth of studies focused on this important topic, but also the concentration of such studies in a few countries around the globe, mainly in North America and Europe. Four out of each five studies included in this review focused on physicians, followed by nurses (14%). In terms of design, an overwhelming majority of studies utilized quantitative designs (75%), followed by qualitative designs and database analyses. Studies were categorized into four pre-determined main themes: facilitators and barriers, workforce planning, HRH management, and HRH development. CONCLUSION: Future research is needed to better understand poorly covered sub-themes such as mentorship, professional development, and training, as well as recruitment and retention among others. It is also equally needed to fill in the gaps in professional groups, study type, methodology, and region. While the review unearthed a number of well-studied themes, significant aspects of the topic remain untapped especially in developing countries and at the level of health professionals other than physicians.

Understanding CAM Use in Lebanon: Findings from a National Survey.

The main objective of this study was to identify predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use in Lebanon. Data for this study were drawn from a national survey conducted among Lebanese adults (n=1500). A modified version of the Social Behavioral Model (SBM) was used to understand CAM use in the study population. In this version, predisposing factors included sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, education, and employment) and Push and Pull factors. Additionally, enabling resources included income, and medical need encompassed presence of chronic disease and perceived health status. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to examine the predictors of CAM use in the study population. Results of the multiple logistic regression showed that younger and older adults were less likely to use CAM as compared to middle-aged respondents. The Push factor "dissatisfaction with conventional medicine" was associated with higher odds of CAM use. For three of the six Pull factors, compared to participants who strongly disagreed, those who had a tendency of taking care of one's health were more likely to use CAM. Income and presence of chronic disease were also associated with higher odds of CAM use. The findings of this study affirmed the utility of the SBM in explaining the use of CAM and proposed a new version of this model, whereby the Push and Pull factors are integrated within the predisposing factors of this model.

A scoping review of reporting 'Ethical Research Practices' in research conducted among refugees and war-affected populations in the Arab world.

BACKGROUND: Ethical research conduct is a cornerstone of research practice particularly when research participants include vulnerable populations. This study mapped the extent of reporting ethical research practices in studies conducted among refugees and war-affected populations in the Arab World, and assessed variations by time, country of study, and study characteristics. METHODS: An electronic search of eight databases resulted in 5668 unique records published between 2000 and 2013. Scoping review yielded 164 eligible articles for analyses. RESULTS: Ethical research practices, including obtaining institutional approval, access to the community/research site, and informed consent/assent from the research participants, were reported in 48.2, 54.9, and 53.7% of the publications, respectively. Institutional approval was significantly more likely to be reported when the research was biomedical in nature compared to public health and social (91.7% vs. 54.4 and 32.4%), when the study employed quantitative compared to qualitative or mixed methodologies (61.7% vs. 26.8 and 42.9%), and when the journal required a statement on ethical declarations (57.4% vs. 27.1%). Institutional approval was least likely to be reported in papers that were sole-authored (9.5%), when these did not mention a funding source (29.6%), or when published in national journals (0%). Similar results were obtained for access to the community site and for seeking informed consent/assent from study participants. CONCLUSIONS: The responsibility of inadequacies in adherence to ethical research conduct in crisis settings is born by a multitude of stakeholders including funding agencies, institutional research boards, researchers and international relief organizations involved in research, as well as journal editors, all of whom need to play a more proactive role for enhancing the practice of ethical research conduct in conflict settings.