Fetal overgrowth and weight trajectories during infancy and adiposity in early childhood.

BACKGROUND: Large-for-gestational age (LGA), a marker of fetal overgrowth, has been linked to obesity in adulthood. Little is known about how infancy growth trajectories affect adiposity in early childhood in LGA. METHODS: In the Shanghai Birth Cohort, we followed up 259 LGA (birth weight >90th percentile) and 1673 appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA, 10th-90th percentiles) children on body composition (by InBody 770) at age 4 years. Adiposity outcomes include body fat mass (BFM), percent body fat (PBF), body mass index (BMI), overweight/obesity, and high adiposity (PBF >85th percentile). RESULTS: Three weight growth trajectories (low, mid, and high) during infancy (0-2 years) were identified in AGA and LGA subjects separately. BFM, PBF and BMI were progressively higher from low- to mid-to high-growth trajectories in both AGA and LGA children. Compared to the mid-growth trajectory, the high-growth trajectory was associated with greater increases in BFM and the odds of overweight/obesity or high adiposity in LGA than in AGA children (tests for interactions, all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Weight trajectories during infancy affect adiposity in early childhood regardless of LGA or not. The study is the first to demonstrate that high-growth weight trajectory during infancy has a greater impact on adiposity in early childhood in LGA than in AGA subjects. IMPACT: Large-for-gestational age (LGA), a marker of fetal overgrowth, has been linked to obesity in adulthood, but little is known about how weight trajectories during infancy affect adiposity during early childhood in LGA subjects. The study is the first to demonstrate a greater impact of high-growth weight trajectory during infancy (0-2 years) on adiposity in early childhood (at age 4 years) in subjects with fetal overgrowth (LGA) than in those with normal birth size (appropriate-for-gestational age). Weight trajectory monitoring may be a valuable tool in identifying high-risk LGA children for close follow-ups and interventions to decrease the risk of obesity.

Dietary pattern and precocious puberty risk in Chinese girls: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary intake on precocious puberty remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between the amount and frequency of dietary intake and the risk of precocious puberty in Chinese girls. METHODS: In this case-control study, we enrolled 185 precocious puberty girls and 185 age-matched controls. Their dietary intake was assessed through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Their sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected. The associations between dietary intake and risk of precocious puberty were assessed by conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustment, consuming a higher amount of red meat was associated with higher precocious puberty risk (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.25-6.02), while a higher frequency of fruit ( P for trend = 0.024) and amount of vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of precocious puberty (P for trend = 0.002). The high vegetable and protein dietary pattern was significantly negatively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.97), whereas the high animal food and fruits dietary pattern was remarkably positively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.09-1.69), after adjusting for age and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: High vegetable and protein dietary pattern is a protective factor against precocious puberty, while high animal food and fruits dietary pattern is a risk factor for precocious puberty in Chinese girls. Attentions should be paid to a reasonable intake of red meat, eggs, and fruits in children's daily diet, increase their intake of vegetables, in order to reduce the risk of precocious puberty.

Decaffeinated green tea polyphenols supplementation had no adverse health effects in girls with obesity: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While the health promoting effects of green tea polyphenols have been identi-fied among adult, research on children is scarce probably due to safety concerns about caffeine. This study aims to evaluate the safety of decaffeinated green tea polyphenols (DGTP) supplementation in girls with obesity and lay the foundation for its application in children population. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This 12-week randomized, double-blinded, parallel-controlled trial was performed among 62 girls with obesity aged 6 to 10 years old. Participants were allocated to take 400 mg/d DGTP (DGTP group, n = 31) or isodose placebo (Control group, n = 31) at random. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters including hepatic and renal function indicators, serum minerals concentrations, and routine blood parameters, were measured at baseline and the end of this trial. DGTP intake diary was required for each participant to record any abnormal reactions. RESULTS: After the 12-week supplementation, compared to Control group, the uric acid concentration in DGTP group showed a significant decrease (-48.0 ± 83.2 vs -0.01 ± 69.1, µmol/L), within the normal range. Regarding other biochemical indicators, there were no significant differences in changed values between the two groups. Throughout the trial, no adverse effects were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the supplementation of 400 mg/d DGTP for 12 weeks had no adverse health effects in girls with obesity, providing evidence for the DGTP adoption in children research.

Neonatal Supplementation of Oleamide During Suckling Promotes Learning Ability and Memory in Adolescent Mice.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid amides (FAMs) are present in breast milk. Oleamide (ODA), a member of the FAM family, has been reported to affect learning and memory-related abilities in animal experiments. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize the temporal changes of FAMs in human milk and sought to examine the effect of ODA supplementation during suckling on postweaning cognitive performance in mice. METHODS: FAMs were measured in human milk (postpartum 1-24 wk) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadruple mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-MS) analysis. We supplemented neonatal C57BL/6J mice of both sexes with vehicle (control), 5 mg/(kg · day) ODA (L-ODA), or 25 mg/(kg · day) ODA (H-ODA) throughout suckling by oral gavage. After weaning, the Morris water maze test and novel object recognition test were performed. Neurogenesis, spinal morphogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) region, and hippocampal expression of synaptic markers were analyzed. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: ODA (0.566-1.31 mg/L) was the most abundant FAM in breast milk, followed by palmitamide (0.135-0.269 mg/L) and linoleamide (0.046-0.242 mg/L). Compared with the control group, the H-ODA group demonstrated shorter escape latency, shorter travel distance, 113% more platform crossing, and 48% greater discrimination index in behavioral tests (P < 0.05). Additionally, the H-ODA group showed a higher density of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU)+ and EdU+& doublecortin (DCX)+ cells (62% and 53%, respectively), and 52% greater spine density in the DG region than the control group (P < 0.05). The synaptic markers, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and synaptophysin (SYP), were upregulated in the H-ODA group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The L-ODA group also showed shorter escape latency in behavioral tests and 27% greater spine density in the DG region than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ODA is the most common FAM in human milk. ODA supplementation during suckling promotes learning and memory-related abilities in adolescent mice by augmenting hippocampal neuronal proliferation and boosting synaptic plasticity.

Combined association of early exposure to long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mercury and selenium with cognitive performance in 1-year-old infants.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3PUFAs) and infant neurodevelopment did not consider effect modifications of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se). OBJECTIVES: To examine the joint association of prenatal LCn3PUFAs, Hg and Se with infant cognitive performance, and to explore whether DNA methylation may explain this potential association. METHODS: A total of 484 newborns were enrolled from the Shanghai Birth Cohort with available data on cord blood LCn3PUFA, nail Hg and Se during 2015-2016. Cord blood LCn3PUFA concentrations were assessed by gas chromatography, and nail Hg and Se concentrations were measured using clippings collected within 6 months of birth by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Five aspects of infant neurodevelopment (communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social skills) were assessed using the Age and Stage Questionnaire (ASQ) at ages 6 and 12 months. Multivariable-adjusted generalized estimating equations models were performed to examine the associations between cord blood LCn3PUFA concentrations and ASQ test scores, and these associations were stratified by nail Hg and Se levels. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in cord blood was compared in a random subgroup consisting of 19 infants from the highest and 21 from the lowest decile of LCn3PUFA concentrations. RESULTS: LCn3PUFAs were not significantly associated with any ASQ test scores. However, in the subgroup with lower Hg (

Higher poultry consumption was associated with an earlier age at menarche.

AIM: To examine the association between meat consumption and earlier age of menarche among schoolgirls in Shanghai. METHODS: The study randomly selected 1981 schoolgirls aged 6-18 years in Shanghai using a two-stage random sampling design. Information on meat intake was collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Menarche age, household income, physical activity and other covariates were obtained by standardised questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between intake of meat and earlier age of menarche. Earlier age of menarche was defined as first menstruation before 12 years of age. RESULTS: Among the 986 girls who had experienced menarche, 518/986 (52.5%) had earlier age of menarche. After adjusting for body mass index, age, physical activity, sleep, household income and parental education, consumption of poultry was positively associated with risk of earlier age of menarche (P-trend = .03). Girls who never consumed poultry had a lower risk of earlier age of menarche (odds ratio [OR]: 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39-0.96). Neither the consumption of pork, beef, lamb, processed meat nor total meat consumption was associated with menarche age. CONCLUSION: Higher consumption of poultry was associated with an earlier age at menarche.

[ω-3 Fatty acids intake level of vegetarians in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ω-3 fatty acids intake level of vegetarians in Shanghai, and compare with the sex and age matched omnivores. METHODS: The present observational study included 282 vegetarians aged 18 to 60 years old who had been vegetarian for at least one year and 282 sex and age matched omnivores recruited among Shanghai citizens. Daily food consumption was assessed through frequency and average intake of 149 kinds of food by food frequency questionnaire(FFQ) conducted by experienced dietitians. Dietary intake of ALA, EPA and DHA was calculated by R(Software). The differences of ω-3 fatty acids dietary intake between vegetarians and omnivores were analyzed with non-parametric test. RESULTS: The ALA intake of vegetarian group was(1669.00±1340.67)mg/d, which was significantly higher than that of omnivore group((1298.56±1041.96)mg/d). However, the EPA intake of vegetarian group((8.45±12.69)mg/d) was significantly less than the omnivore group((128.63±144.15)mg/d). The DHA intake of vegetarian group((28.75±35.38)mg/d) was also significantly less than the omnivore group((236.88±223.05)mg/d). Most of the dietary intake of EPA and DHA was supplied by seafood. CONCLUSION: Vegetarians EPA and DHA intake was significantly lower than omnivores.

Healthy adult vegetarians have better renal function than matched omnivores: a cross-sectional study in China.

BACKGROUND: An appropriate diet is an important determinant of kidney health. However, the association between vegetarian diets and renal function is unclear. We aimed to study the association between vegetarian diets and renal function in healthy adults. METHODS: A total of 269 vegetarians and 269 sex- and age-matched nonvegetarian omnivores were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Basic characteristics and daily dietary intakes were assessed by face-to-face interviews. Blood samples were collected, and renal function was assessed by measuring blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), uric acid (UA) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and blood lipid profiles were also assessed. RESULTS: The average age of the vegetarians was 35.4 ± 8.6 years, 82.2% of whom were female. We evaluated the association between vegetarian diets and renal function using multivariate analysis. Compared with omnivores, vegetarians had lower BUN [ß = - 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): (- 0.88, - 0.38)], SCr [ß = - 2.04, 95% CI:(- 4.10, 0.02)], and UA levels [ß = - 15.15, 95% CI: (- 27.81, - 2.50)] and higher eGFRs [ß = 4.04, 95% CI: (0.30, 7.78)] after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), systolic pressure and fasting blood glucose. Further analysis of food composition and renal function showed that dietary fiber intake was significantly negatively associated with BUN [ß = - 0.02, 95% CI: (- 0.03, 0.00)], SCr [ß = - 0.14, 95% CI: (- 0.25, 0.04)], and UA levels [ß = - 0.72, 95% CI: (- 1.36, 0.07)] and positively associated with the eGFR [ß = 0.20, 95% CI: (0.00, 0.40)]. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy adult vegetarians have better renal function than omnivores, and the higher dietary fiber intake associated with vegetarian diets may contribute to the protective effect on renal function.

COMPARATIVE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF THREE CURRENT CLINICAL TREATMENTS FOR GIRLS WITH CENTRAL PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY: A NETWORK META-ANALYSIS.

Objective: The optimal treatment for girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) is unknown. We conducted a network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of existing treatments to provide credible clinical guidelines. Methods: We compared gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy, GnRHa plus growth hormone (GH) combination therapy, and no-treatment therapy for girls with CPP by performing an electronic search for studies in PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, and Wanfang Data from their inception until September 30, 2018. Six outcomes, including bone maturation ratio, final height, final height compared with target height, growth velocity, height gain, and gain in predicted adult height (ΔPAH), were expressed as the mean difference with 95% confidence interval. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value illustrated the rank probability of each treatment under different outcomes. Results: Twenty-two studies with 1,268 patients were included. GnRHa plus GH had the best performance on final height, final height compared with target height, growth velocity, height gain, and ΔPAH, with the highest SUCRA values of 0.919, 0.975, 0.909, 0.999, and 0.957, respectively. For bone maturation ratio, GnRHa ranked the highest, with a SUCRA value of 0.663. No severe adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: For girls with CPP, GnRHa plus GH had the highest probability of being the optimal therapy for improving final height, and no severe adverse effects were reported. Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; CI = confidence interval; CPP = central precocious puberty; GH = growth hormone; GnRHa = gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue; HPG = hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal; LH = luteinizing hormone; NMA = network meta-analysis; PAH = predicted adult height; PCOS = polycystic ovary syndrome; RCT = randomized controlled trial; SUCRA = surface under the cumulative ranking curve.

Association between trimester-specific gestational weight gain and childhood obesity at 5 years of age: results from Shanghai obesity cohort.

BACKGROUND: It is still unclear if and at which trimester gestational weight gain is related to childhood adiposity. Thus we aimed to evaluate the association between trimester-specific gestational weight gain and body-fat compositions in Chinese children. METHODS: Maternal gestational weight were measured by trained nurses every 2 to 4 weeks from the first prenatal care, and body-fat compositions of 407 children from the Shanghai Obesity Cohort at 5 years of age were measured by nutritionist through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Overweight/obesity of children was defined according to the criteria of International Obesity Task Force. Logistic and linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders were conducted to evaluate the associations of gestational weight gains with childhood obesity and body-fat compositions. Two-sided P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Greater gestational weight gain in the 1st-trimester was significantly associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight/obesity [OR: 1.40 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.86)], fat mass index [ß: 0.25 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.38)], body fat percentage [ß: 1.04 (95% CI: 0.43, 1.65)], and waist-to-height ratio [ß: 0.005 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.008)]. A positive but nonsignificant association was found between greater 3rd-trimester gestational weight gain and a higher risk of offspring overweight/obesity, and we speculated that the association between 2nd-trimester gestational weight gain and offspring overweight/obesity is the "U" type. CONCLUSIONS: Weight gain in the first trimester gestation is positively correlated with the risk of childhood overweight/obesity and with body adiposity distributions of children at 5 years of age. Weight gain should be well controlled and monitored from early pregnancy.

Young adult vegetarians in Shanghai have comparable bone health to omnivores despite lower serum 25(OH) vitamin D in vegans: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The association between a vegetarian diet and bone mineral density (BMD) remains unclear, particularly in young adults. This study was designed to compare the bone health status of young vegetarians and omnivores in Shanghai, China. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 246 vegetarians (following a vegan or lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet for at least 1 year) and 246 age- and sex-matched omnivores were recruited among young adult residents of Shanghai, China. The ultrasound bone mineral density analyser CM-200 was employed to measure calcaneus mineral densities, and blood samples were collected to determine serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D status. Intakes of protein, calcium and vitamin D were assessed by the 24-hour dietary recall method. RESULTS: The average age of the vegetarians was 32.7±6.5 years, 83.3% of whom were female; 71.3% of the participants had been vegetarians for no more than 5 years. After adjusting for some potential cofounding factors, the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of vegans (15.0±13.4 µg/L) was significantly lower than that of omnivores (17.6±8.8 µg/L, p<0.05). The protein, calcium and vitamin D intakes of vegetarians were all lower than those of omnivores (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in calcaneus mineral density between vegetarians and omnivores or between vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in vegans, but not in lacto-ovo vegetarians, were slightly lower than those in omnivores. However, short-term vegetarian diets did not result in adverse effects on bone mineral density in young Chinese adults.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Risk of Diabetes: A Prospective Study in China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate whether liver steatosis severity affects the risk of developing diabetes in a large cohort study. METHODS: We prospectively examined the association in 41,650 Chinese adults with negative hepatitis-B surface antigen who were free of alcohol consumption, diabetes, and liver cirrhosis at baseline. Cox proportional models were used to estimate the risk of diabetes after a mean of 3.6 years of follow-up. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was assessed with hepatic ultrasonography. Elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) was defined as ALT concentrations >19 and >30 U/L in females and males, respectively. Diabetes was defined as a fasting glucose 37.0 mmol/L or treatment with hypoglycemic medication. RESULTS: Liver steatosis severity was significantly associated with higher risks of developing diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] for severe vs. without NAFLD = 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.17-3.25, P-trend<.001) and impaired fasting glucose (fasting glucose between 5.6 and 6.9 mmol/L, adjusted HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.16-1.59, P-trend<.001), as well as a faster increase rate of fasting glucose concentrations ( P-trend<.001), during 3.6 years of follow-up. Elevated ALT was also associated with incident diabetes (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.22), adjusting for NAFLD and other covariates. CONCLUSION: We observed a dose-response relationship between liver steatosis severity and increased diabetes risk, and ALT may predict incident diabetes independently of NAFLD. ABBREVIATIONS: ALT = alanine transaminase; BP = blood pressure; CI = confidence interval; HCV = hepatitis C virus; HR = hazard ratio; IFG = impaired fasting glucose; NAFLD = nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; ULN = upper limit of normal.

THE DIABETES EPIDEMIC IN CHINA: AN INTEGRATED REVIEW OF NATIONAL SURVEYS.

OBJECTIVE: To review trends in the prevalence and incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and related risk factors in China. METHODS: We searched the literature using PubMed, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, and China Wanfang Digital Database for large epidemiologic studies and national surveys. RESULTS: During the past 30 years (1980-2010), 7 national diabetes mellitus surveys were conducted in China mainland, indicating that the prevalence of DM has increased 17-fold, from 0.67 to 11.6% of the population. The prevalence of impaired glucose regulation (IGR, including impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance) also increased, from 2.09 in 1994 to 27.2% in 2010. There was no national representative study of the incidence of diabetes to date; the reported incidence of type 2 diabetes during past 25 years in several cohort studies varied (2.7 to 15.8 per 1,000 person-years). Potential risk factors which could have contributed to the increasing prevalence and incidence of DM and IGR in the Chinese population include social and economic development, urbanization, dietary pattern, and Westernized lifestyle. Further, genetic studies have suggested that unique inheritable risk factors in the Chinese population may increase the risk for DM when compared to Caucasians. CONCLUSION: DM and IGR have become epidemic in China. Public health strategies should focus on modifying lifestyle and dietary factors, particularly among those with a susceptible genetic background. ABBREVIATIONS: BMI = body mass index DM = diabetes mellitus FBG = fasting blood glucose GWAS = genome-wide association study IGR = impaired glucose regulation IGT = impaired glucose tolerance OGTT = oral glucose tolerance test T2D = type 2 diabetes WC = waist circumference WHR = waist-hip ratio.

Food insecurity and malnutrition in Chinese elementary school students.

It has been shown that food insecurity is associated with poor diet quality and unfavourable health outcomes. However, little is known about the potential effects of food insecurity on the overall malnutrition status among children. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of food insecurity among 1583 elementary school students, aged 6-14 years, living in Chinese rural areas and examined its association with four malnutrition signs, including rickets sequelae, anaemia, stunting and wasting. Information on food security was collected via questionnaires. Rickets sequelae were assessed by an experienced paediatrician during the interview. Anaemia was determined by the WHO Hb thresholds adjusted by the local altitude. Weight and height were measured during the interview. Stunting and wasting were then evaluated according to WHO child growth standards (2007). We examined the association between food insecurity and the number of malnutrition signs (total number = 4), and the likelihood of having severe malnutrition (presence of 3+ signs), after adjusting for potential confounders, such as age, social-economic status and dietary intakes. During the previous 12 months, the overall prevalence of food insecurity was 6.1% in the entire studied population and 16.3% in participants with severe malnutrition. Participants with food insecurity had a slightly higher number of malnutrition signs (1.14 v. 0.96; P=0.043) relative to those who were food secure, after adjusting for potential confounders. Food insecurity was also associated with increased likelihood of having severe malnutrition (adjusted OR 3.08; 95% CI 1.47, 6.46; P=0.003). In conclusion, food insecurity is significantly associated with malnutrition among Chinese children in this community.

[Prevalence of vegetarians and vegetarian's health dietary behavior survey in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of vegetarians in the whole Shanghai population, and to know the vegetarians' brief and behavior on diet, nutrition and health. METHODS: First, a multi-staged, stratified, clustered random sampling design was used. A total representative sample of 4 004 Shanghai resident subjects were asked if they were vegetarians and what type of vegetarian they were by a well-designed questionnaire. Second, from ten vegetarian restaurants located in Shanghai. 473 adult vegetarians completed a questionnaire about vegetarian status, among whom 274 vegetarians completed a detailed questionnaire about their brief and behaviors on diet, nutrition and health status. RESULTS: Of 4 004 subjects, 0.77% were vegetarians (0.45% were lacto-vegetarians and 0. 12% were vegans). The average age was 65. 0 years. 74. 2% of the vegetarians were female. Of 473 vegetarians, 70. 2% of the vegetarians had college or higher education. Compared to vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians were significantly younger and had higher educational level. The main reasons for choosing a vegetarian lifestyle were religion (49. 3%) and health (31. 3%). Furthermore, more vegan tend to be Buddhist. Vegetarians were more concerned about their health (209/274, 76. 5%) , the consumption of balance diets (183/274, 66. 8%). Comparing with lacto-ovo-vegetarians (58. 3%) more vegans (70. 4%) believed in that vegetarian diet is a kind of healthy dietary pattern and will not have any nutrients deficiency (P = 0. 037). Vegetarians consumed more healthy foods (e. g.,whole grains, vegetables, soy products, and nuts) than the general population (P < 0. 01). Only 5. 8% of the vegetarians took dietary supplements. CONCLUSION: 0. 77% of population in Shanghai was vegetarian. The two main reasons for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle were religion and health. The vegetarians tend to have more nutrition knowledge, better attitude and behavior on health. However, most of the vegetarians had not realized the nutrient deficiency risk of vegetarian diets.

Maternal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation during lactation improves exercise performance, enhances intestinal glucose absorption and modulates gut microbiota in weaning offspring mice.

Introduction: Intestinal dysfunction induced by weaning stress is common during breastfeeding period. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is well known for promoting visual and brain development, but its effects on early intestinal development remain unknown. This study investigated the impact of maternal DHA supplementation during lactation on intestinal glucose absorption and gut microbiota in weaning offspring mice. Materials and methods: Dams were supplemented with vehicle (control), 150 mg/(kg body weight · day) DHA (L-DHA), or 450 mg/(kg body weight · day) DHA (H-DHA) throughout lactation by oral administration. After weaning, pups were randomly divided into three groups for athletic analysis, microbial and proteomic analysis, biochemical analysis, 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-D-glucose (4-FDG) absorption test, and gene expression quantitation of glucose transport-associated proteins and mTOR signaling components. Results: The H-DHA group exhibited enhanced grip strength and prolonged swimming duration compared to the control group. Additionally, there were significant increases in jejunal and ileal villus height, and expanded surface area of jejunal villi in the H-DHA group. Microbial analyses revealed that maternal DHA intake increased the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria and promoted metabolic pathways linked to carbohydrate and energy metabolism. Proteomic studies indicated an increased abundance of nutrient transport proteins and enrichment of pathways involved in absorption and digestion in the H-DHA group. This group also showed higher concentrations of glucose in the jejunum and ileum, as well as elevated glycogen levels in the liver and muscles, in contrast to lower glucose levels in the intestinal contents and feces compared to the control group. The 4-FDG absorption test showed more efficient absorption after oral 4-FDG gavage in the H-DHA group. Moreover, the expressions of glucose transport-associated proteins, GLUT2 and SGLT1, and the activation of mTOR pathway were enhanced in the H-DHA group compared to the control group. The L-DHA group also showed similar but less pronounced improvements in these aspects relative to the H-DHA group. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that maternal DHA supplementation during lactation improves the exercise performance, enhances the intestinal glucose absorption by increasing the expressions of glucose transporters, and beneficially alters the structure of gut microbiome in weaning offspring mice.

Comparison of dietary inflammatory index and inflammatory biomarkers between vegetarians and omnivores in Chinese population.

Most previous studies on the association between vegetarian diet and inflammation have used only one inflammatory biomarker e.g., C-reactive protein (CRP) and the findings were generally inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the correlation between diet and inflammation in Chinese vegetarians using dietary indices and multiple inflammatory biomarkers. 279 vegetarians and omnivores of the same sex and age recruited in Shanghai, 2016. 24-h dietary review questionnaire was collected and used to calculate Dietary inflammatory index (DII) and Energy-adjusted inflammatory index (E-DII) of both groups. In addition, energy intake matched vegetarian and omnivore recipes were designed by registed dietitions and used to calculate a theoretical DII. Five serum inflammatory biomarkers CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were measured. We found that vegetarians had significantly lower E-DII and theoretical DII than omnivores (P < 0.001). In contrast, the raw DII of vegetarians was almost the same with that of omnivores, probably due to lower energy intake in vegetarians than in omnivores (1367.97 ± 479.75 vs. 1724.78 ± 568.13, P < 0.001). Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, NLR and PLR were significantly higher in vegetarians than in omnivores while no statistical differences were found in CRP. In conclusion, a theoretical vegetarian diet with adequate energy intake as well as a balanced dietary intake showed good anti-inflammatory effects, though this was not fully reflected in vegetarian population in the real world, probably due to insufficient energy intake in the vegetarian population.

Bisphenol chemicals in colostrum from Shanghai, China during 2006-2019: Concentration, temporal variation, and potential influence on birth parameters.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its alternatives bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are identified as endocrine disruptors that have negative impacts on infant growth. Their temporal variations in human milk and potential effects on fetal growth are not well known. In this study, colostrum collecting at four time points between 2006 and 2019 and paired urine in 2019 from Shanghai, China, were analyzed for eight bisphenols. The total concentrations in colostrum in 2019 were up to 3.43 ng/mL, with BPA being dominant, followed by BPS and BPF. BPA levels in colostrum noticeably decreased from 2010 to 2013. Additionally, obvious percentage changes in bisphenols were observed in 2019. The BPA concentrations in paired colostrum and urine were not significantly correlated. High levels of BPA in colostrum were linked to a significant reduction in birth head circumference in 2019 (p = 0.031). BPA and BPS in colostrum might have similar negative effect on fetal growth in 2019, but these effects were generally non-significant. Further studies are needed to testify the potential impact. The hazard indexes for infants in the first week of life were below 1, suggesting no obvious health risks. However, the high contribution from BPA still warrants further attention.

A combined association of obesity, alanine aminotransferase and creatinine with hyperuricemia in youth aged 13-20 years.

Background: Despite extensive research on hyperuricemia (HUA) in adults, there remains a dearth of studies examining this condition in youth. Consequently, our objective was to investigate the prevalence of HUA among youth in the United States, as well as identify the corresponding risk factors. Methods: This study employed a nationally representative subsample of 1,051 youth aged 13-20 from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between January 2017 and March 2020. Univariate and multivariate techniques were utilized to examine the association between HUA and obesity, dietary nutrients, liver and kidney function, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation, and other indicators in the adolescent population. Results: The study encompassed a cohort of 1,051 youth aged 13-20 years, comprising 538 boys and 513 girls. The overall prevalence of HUA was found to be 7% (74 out of 1,051). Univariate analysis revealed that the HUA group exhibited greater age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Additionally, the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in the HUA group compared to the non- HUA group (all p < 0.05). Regarding biochemical indicators, the levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine (Cr), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamic oxalic aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and HS C reactive protein (Hs CRP) were found to be significantly higher in the HUA group compared to the non-HUA group (all p < 0.05). Further analysis using binary logistics regression showed that BMI (p = 0.024, OR1.158, 95%CI1.019-1.316), ALT (p = 0.020, OR1.032, 95%CI1.005-1.059), and Cr (p = 0.016, OR1.028, 95%CI1.005-1.051) were identified as risk factors for HUA, after controlling for age, gender, BMI, WC, HC, WHR, ALT, AST, GGT, TG, TC, Cr, Hs CRP, and other indicators. Interestingly, neither univariate nor multivariate analysis found any association between dietary nutrients and the risk of HUA (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: High BMI remains a major risk factor for HUA in US youth aged 13-20 years, and ALT and Cr levels should be closely monitored along with serum uric acid.

[Investigation of nutritional status of pupils and dietary survey in primary schools in poor counties of Guangxi and Yunnan].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the nutritional status of pupils and to provide basic evidence for the nutritional interventions. METHODS: The subjects of the study were 2046 pupils from 9 primary schools in poor counties of Guangxi and Yunnan. The contents of the investigation included medical physical examination, haematoglobin determination and dietary survey. Nutritional Status was evaluated according to WHO growth standards. RESULTS: The prevalence of stunting and wasting in children from 6 to 14 years old in poor areas of Guangxi and Yunnan were 34.3% and 6.5% respectively. The anemia prevalence of them was 20.5%. The diet provided by the canteens of local school was mainly composed of plant food. Animal food was deficient. The cooking oil in local school was most of lard oil. The per pupil average daily intake of energy, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and calcium was 1491.29 kcal, 36.36 g, 179.15 ug, 0.57 mg, 0.37 mg, 53.67 mg and 163.14 mg respectively, which were lower than RNI or Al. CONCLUSION: The chronic malnutrition of pupils in poor areas is still serious. The variety of food provided by the canteens of local school is quite single, and the quality of the meals is low. Intakes of energy, protein and micronutrient from school diet are insufficient for pupils.