No abstract

Consumption of fish during pregnancy is known to be beneficial for child neurodevelopment and cognitive function (1) . Fish is the major dietary source of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), particularly the n-3 LCPUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is essential for brain growth and function and the human body can synthesise only small amounts. We have recently shown that higher maternal n-3 LCPUFA status during pregnancy is associated with improved language scores in children at 5 years of age (2) . Other studies have suggested that LCPUFA status has an impact on infant growth (3) , a factor which is also known to influence neurodevelopment. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between maternal LCPUFA status and child growth outcomes in a population of high fish consumers.This study was conducted as part of the Seychelles Child Development and Nutrition Study Cohort 2. Blood samples were taken from pregnant women at 28 weeks gestation (n = 1474) and serum fatty acid methyl esters were quantified using GC-MS, following lipid extraction, as previously described (4) . LCPUFA measured included linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and DHA. In the offspring, various measures of child growth, including gestational age and birth weight were assessed at birth. At 20 months of age, measures of height, weight and head circumference were obtained for the child. Multiple linear regression analyses, controlling for gestational age, were used to test associations between maternal LCPUFA status and child growth outcomes at birth and at 20 months of age.The mean (SD) age of pregnant women at enrolment to the study was 26 (6) years. Spearman correlation analyses showed that gestational age of the child was significantly correlated with child birth weight (r = 0.454, P < 0.0001) and child height (r = 0.066, P = 0.021), weight (r = 0.089, P = 0.002) and head circumference (r = 0.064, P = 0.024) at 20 months of age.Maternal AA concentrations significantly predicted height of the child at 20 months (b = 0.115, P < 0.0001). Maternal LA and total n-6 concentrations significantly predicted weight of the child at birth. Maternal LA, DHA, total n-3 and total n-6 concentrations significantly predicted child height and weight at 20 months of age. Maternal LCPUFA status did not significantly predict child head circumference at 20 months of age. These data concur with recent literature (5) and add to the body of evidence demonstrating associations between maternal LCPUFA status during pregnancy and child growth outcomes. Such associations warrant further investigation.

This abstract was awarded the student prize for best oral original communication.Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in the UK and Ireland and is defined as a total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration below 30 nmol/L with respect to bone health (1) . Owing to the UK and Ireland's northerly latitudes (50-58 and 51-55°N respectively) as well as the limited range of naturally occurring and fortified dietary sources of vitamin D, supplementation is often regarded as advisable in order to optimise wintertime vitamin D status. Interventions typically use capsules as a peroral method of delivery. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of two forms of supplemental vitamin D 3 ; liquid capsules or oral spray solution, at increasing total 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy adults.In total, 22 participants (males n = 10 and females n = 12) were independently randomised to receive 3000IU (75μg) vitamin D 3 daily for 4 weeks in either a capsule or oral spray form during wintertime (Oct-Feb). Following a 10-week washout, participants crossed-over onto the opposite treatment for a final 4 weeks. Height (cm) was measured at baseline while weight (kg) and fasted blood samples were obtained before and after each supplementation phase. Total 25(OH)D was quantified using LCMS-MS and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration was measured by ELISA. Dietary vitamin D intake was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire (2) .Overall, baseline mean ± SD total 25(OH)D concentration averaged 59·76 ± 29·88 nmol/L, representing clinical sufficiency. Prior to hypothesis testing, a time by treatment interaction and potential carryover effects were ruled-out (P = 0·107 and P = 0·681, respectively). Subsequently, analysis of covariance determined that there was no significant difference in mean ± SD change from baseline, with respect to total 25(OH)D concentrations, between oral spray and capsule supplementation (26·46 ± 23·91 versus 27·58 ± 15·93 nmol/L respectively, P = 0·995). Dietary vitamin D intake averaged 6·25 ± 6·24μg/day, falling short of the current 10μg/day reference nutrient intake. Our findings advocate oral spray vitamin D 3 supplementation as an equally effective alternative to capsules. This may have major implications for micronutrient delivery in those with malabsorption syndromes; as vitamin D 3 administered by oral spray bypasses the intestine via buccal, sublingual and palatal membrane absorption sites in the oral cavity. This supplementation method will also prove advantageous for those with difficulty swallowing such as the elderly, young children and babies.

Cathelicidin (LL-37, hCAP18) concentrations are partially modulated in vivo by vitamin D. This potent antimicrobial peptide is involved in numerous antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial processes, which has led to its recognition as an important contributor to upper respiratory host defence. Upper respiratory tract infections are a problem widely reported in athletes and are associated with impaired training capacity (1) . Recent research has implicated 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1, 25(OH) 2 D 3 ) in cathelicidin biosynthesis, via vitamin D receptor complex-driven epigenetic modifications to the cathelicidin gene (2, 3) . The aim of this pilot study was to identify if wintertime vitamin D 3 supplementation of athletes (from November-March/April) influences plasma cathelicidin concentrations, compared to non-supplemented controls.An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was used to quantify baseline and endpoint plasma cathelicidin concentrations in 44 stored samples obtained from 22 elite Irish athletes (18 male; 4 females) (4) (Hycult Biotech, Fronstraat, The Netherlands). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was measured in the previous study by ELISA (IDS Limited, Boldon, UK).Mean (SD) age of athletes in the control and supplemented groups was 30(8) years and 23 (7) years, respectively. Age was significantly different between treatment groups (P = 0·027).Change in cathelicidin concentration from baseline was not significantly different between groups (median (IQR); control group −34·94(50·66) ng/ml vs. supplemented group −17·18 (51·80) ng/ml, P = 0·076). Wintertime vitamin D 3 supplementation significantly increased 25(OH)D concentrations from baseline. There was no significant change in plasma cathelicidin concentration in the supplemented group. In the control group, 25(OH)D concentration did not significantly change from baseline however a significant decrease in plasma cathelicidin concentration was identified.These findings may be owing to the small sample size and because both treatment groups were vitamin D sufficient (>50 nmol/L) at baseline (5) . Nevertheless such results indicate that maintenance of vitamin D status over the winter months, with vitamin D 3 supplementation, may attenuate the wintertime decrease in cathelicidin concentrations. Whether such maintenance of cathelicidin concentrations translates into a reduced incidence of upper respiratory tract infection and/or enhanced physical performance remains to be elucidated.

Iodine and selenium are required for synthesis of the thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which are critical for optimal neurodevelopment (1). Maternal T4 has previously been shown to positively correlate with child cognitive development in the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 1 (SCDS NC1) (2). The selenoproteins thioredoxin (TXN) and thioredoxin reductases (TXNRD 1 and 2) protect the thyroid from oxidative stress during hormone synthesis (3). The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in thioredoxin genes, TXN and TXNRD, with prenatal status of thyroid hormones in the SCDS NC1. Blood was collected from pregnant women at enrolment and at 28 weeks gestation, from which serum concentrations of thyroid hormones were previously measured and genotyping performed for selected SNPs following leukocyte DNA extraction (n = 170). Univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare associations of each genotype with serum hormone concentrations, whilst adjusting for maternal age, BMI and smoking status. For TXN, homozygote minor and heterozygote alleles were combined.