Protein intake in early childhood and cardiometabolic health at school age: the Generation R Study

Abstract

PurposeHigh protein intake in infancy has been linked to obesity. We aimed to examine the associations of protein intake in early childhood with cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes at school age.MethodsThis study was performed in 2965 children participating in a population-based prospective cohort study. Protein intake at 1 year was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire and was adjusted for energy intake. At the children’s age of 6 years, we measured their body fat percentage (BF%), blood pressure (BP), and insulin, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels. These measures were incorporated into a cardiometabolic risk factor score, using age- and sex-specific SD scores.ResultsIn covariate-adjusted models, higher protein intake was associated with a higher BF%, lower diastolic BP, and lower triglyceride levels. We observed a significant interaction of protein intake with child sex on metabolic outcomes. Stratified analyses showed that protein intake was positively associated with BF% [0.07 SD (95 % CI 0.02; 0.13) per 10 g/day] and insulin levels in girls, but not in boys. In boys, but not in girls, higher protein intake was associated with lower triglyceride levels [−0.12 SD (95 % CI −0.20; −0.04) per 10 g/day] and a lower cardiometabolic risk factor score. Protein intake was not consistently associated with systolic BP or HDL cholesterol levels.ConclusionProtein intake in early childhood was associated with a higher BF% and higher insulin levels at 6 years in girls and with lower triglyceride levels in boys. Further studies are needed to explore these sex differences and to investigate whether the observed changes persist into adulthood.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1026-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Animal Protein Intake Is Associated with General Adiposity in Adolescents: The Teen Food and Development Study

“…Meats are frequently consumed in the western diet, particularly by adolescents, and therefore, the magnitude of the effect on their health can potentially be significant. The positive link between animal protein intake could be related to the possible enhancement in stimulation of insulin [59] and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) [60]. Although IGF-1 has major roles in the regulation of human growth, it has also been linked to adipocyte proliferation and differentiation [61].…”

The role of vitamin D on circulating memory T cells in children: The Generation R study

“…Information on siblings in household, ethnicity, and history of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) at 6 years was obtained from medical records and questionnaires . Sex‐specific standard deviation scores (SDS) for body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) were calculated . Seropositivity of CMV (IgG‐CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (IgG‐HSV‐1), and/or EBV (IgG‐EBV viral capsid antigen [VCA]) was determined by ELISA from serum samples at 6 years .…”

“…Seropositivity of CMV (IgG‐CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (IgG‐HSV‐1), and/or EBV (IgG‐EBV viral capsid antigen [VCA]) was determined by ELISA from serum samples at 6 years . Child ethnicity was determined as previously described and categorized into Western (Dutch, European, American, Oceanian) or non‐Western (Turkish, Moroccan, African, Asian) . Child lifestyle characteristics as playing sports and time spent watching television, using a computer and/or playing outside at daytime, were determined using questionnaires administered to the parents at the child age of 6 years .…”

“…12 Sex-specific standard deviation scores (SDS) for body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) were calculated. 15 Seropositivity of CMV (IgG-CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (IgG-HSV-1), and/or EBV (IgG-EBV viral capsid antigen [VCA]) was determined by ELISA from serum samples at 6 years. 16 Child ethnicity was determined as previously described and categorized into Western (Dutch, European, American, Oceanian) or non-Western (Turkish, Moroccan, African, Asian).…”

“…16 Child ethnicity was determined as previously described and categorized into Western (Dutch, European, American, Oceanian) or non-Western (Turkish, Moroccan, African, Asian). 13,15,16 Child lifestyle characteristics as playing sports and time spent watching television, using a computer and/ or playing outside at daytime, were determined using questionnaires administered to the parents at the child age of 6 years. 12 Season of blood drawn was obtained from time of research center visit.…”