Nutrigenomics: where are we with genetic and epigenetic markers for disposition and susceptibility?

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Diet Quality and Executive Functioning Development of Hispanic Preschoolers in Houston, Texas

BACKGROUND

Diet quality has been found to be related to cognitive health in school-aged children. However, this relationship remains understudied among Hispanic preschool-aged children, who are vulnerable to poor dietary habits and low cognitive development due to socioeconomic, cultural, and structural disparities.

OBJECTIVE

This longitudinal study evaluated whether the diet quality of preschool-aged children would be associated with executive functions (EFs) in later childhood.

DESIGN

This is a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study of Hispanic preschool-aged children (age 4 and 5 years) at baseline (Time 1) and 18 months (Time 2).

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study included 185 mother-child dyads with complete data at Time 1, recruited through Head Start centers in Houston, TX, beginning in 2011.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Mothers reported on their child's dietary intake via 3 24-hour recalls, which was used to calculate Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010 component and total scores. Laboratory tasks assessed cold EFs (tapping and Flexible Item Selection Tasks) and hot EFs (delay of gratification and gift-wrapping tasks). Whereas higher scores on tapping, Flexible Item Selection Task, and delay of gratification tasks represent a high EF, higher scores in gift-wrapping task represent a low EF.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Hierarchical linear regression analyses assessed the relationship between diet quality, as measured by HEI-2010 total and component scores, at Time 1 (independent variables) and EF outcomes (dependent variables) at Time 2, controlling for child sex, age, body mass index z score, and EF at Time 1.

RESULTS

HEI-2010 component score for fatty acids (b = -.13; P = .04) and seafood and plant proteins (b = .09; P = .05), were respectively related to later cold and hot EFs of Hispanic preschool-aged children. Other HEI components or the overall score did not predict EFs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that specific HEI components support cold and hot EFs development among Hispanic preschool-aged children, but total HEI-2010 score does not. Experimental research is needed to assess the influence of dietary interventions on cognitive development of Hispanic preschool-aged children.

Effectiveness of a Parent-Based eHealth Intervention for Physical Activity, Dietary Behavior, and Sleep Among Preschoolers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Preschoolers' lifestyles have become physically inactive and sedentary, their eating habits have become unhealthy, and their sleep routines have become increasingly disturbed. Parent-based interventions have shown promise to improve physical activity (PA), improve dietary behavior (DB), and reduce sleep problems among preschoolers. However, because of the recognized obstacles of face-to-face approaches (eg, travel costs and time commitment), easy access and lower costs make eHealth interventions appealing. Previous studies that examined the effectiveness of parent-based eHealth for preschoolers' PA, DB, and sleep have either emphasized 1 variable or failed to balance PA, DB, and sleep modules and consider the intervention sequence during the intervention period. There is an acknowledged gap in parent-based eHealth interventions that target preschoolers raised in Chinese cultural contexts.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a parent-based eHealth intervention for PA, DB, and sleep problems among Chinese preschoolers.

METHODS

This 2-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial comprises a 12-week intervention with a 12-week follow-up. A total of 206 parent-child dyads will be randomized to either an eHealth intervention group or a control group. Participants allocated to the eHealth intervention group will receive 12 interactive modules on PA, DB, and sleep, with each module delivered on a weekly basis to reduce the sequence effect on variable outcomes. The intervention is grounded in social cognitive theory. It will be delivered through social media, where parents can obtain valid and updated educational information, have a social rapport, and interact with other group members and facilitators. Participants in the control group will receive weekly brochures on PA, DB, and sleep recommendations from kindergarten teachers, but they will not receive any interactive components. Data will be collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The primary outcome will be preschoolers' PA. The secondary outcomes will be preschoolers' DB, preschoolers' sleep duration, preschoolers' sleep problems, parents' PA, parenting style, and parental feeding style.

RESULTS

Parent-child dyads were recruited in September 2023. Baseline and posttest data collection occurred from October 2023 to March 2024. The follow-up data will be obtained in June 2024. The results of the study are expected to be published in 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

The parent-based eHealth intervention has the potential to overcome the barriers of face-to-face interventions and will offer a novel approach for promoting a healthy lifestyle among preschoolers. If this intervention is found to be efficacious, the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles among preschoolers may be alleviated at a low cost, which not only has a positive influence on the health of individuals and the well-being of the family but also reduces the financial pressure on society to treat diseases caused by poor lifestyle habits.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06025019; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06025019.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/58344.

Personalized Nutrition: Tailoring Dietary Recommendations through Genetic Insights

Personalized nutrition (PN) represents a transformative approach in dietary science, where individual genetic profiles guide tailored dietary recommendations, thereby optimizing health outcomes and managing chronic diseases more effectively. This review synthesizes key aspects of PN, emphasizing the genetic basis of dietary responses, contemporary research, and practical applications. We explore how individual genetic differences influence dietary metabolisms, thus underscoring the importance of nutrigenomics in developing personalized dietary guidelines. Current research in PN highlights significant gene-diet interactions that affect various conditions, including obesity and diabetes, suggesting that dietary interventions could be more precise and beneficial if they are customized to genetic profiles. Moreover, we discuss practical implementations of PN, including technological advancements in genetic testing that enable real-time dietary customization. Looking forward, this review identifies the robust integration of bioinformatics and genomics as critical for advancing PN. We advocate for multidisciplinary research to overcome current challenges, such as data privacy and ethical concerns associated with genetic testing. The future of PN lies in broader adoption across health and wellness sectors, promising significant advancements in public health and personalized medicine.

Adherence to a healthy and potentially sustainable Nordic diet is associated with child development in The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa)

Background

The rapid neurodevelopment that occurs during the first years of life hinges on adequate nutrition throughout fetal life and early childhood. Therefore, adhering to a dietary pattern based on healthy foods during pregnancy and the first years of life may be beneficial for future development. The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between adherence to a healthy and potentially sustainable Nordic diet during pregnancy and in early childhood and child development.

Methods

This study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). In 83,800 mother-child pairs, maternal pregnancy diet and child diet at 6 months, 18 months and 3 years were scored according to adherence to the New Nordic Diet (NND). NND scores were calculated both as a total score and categorized into low, medium, or high adherence. Child communication and motor development skills were reported by parents at 6 months, 18 months, 3 and 5 years, using short forms of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and the Child Development Inventory. Associations of NND adherence with child development were estimated with linear and logistic regression in crude and adjusted models.

Results

When examining the NND and child developmental scores as percentages of the total scores, we found positive associations between the NND scores (both maternal pregnancy diet and child diet) and higher scoring on child development (adjusted \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\hat{\beta}$$\end{document}β^ s [95% confidence intervals] ranging from 0.007 [0.004, 0.009] to 0.045 [0.040, 0.050]). We further found that low and medium adherence to NND were associated with higher odds of later emerging developmental skills compared to high NND adherence at nearly all measured timepoints (odds ratios [95% CI] ranging from significant values 1.15 [1.03–1.29] to 1.79 [1.55, 2.06] in adjusted analyses).

Conclusions

Our findings support that adherence to a healthy and potentially sustainable diet early in life is important for child development every step of the way from pregnancy until age 5 years.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12937-022-00799-5.

Omics Technology for the Promotion of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods

The influence of nutrition and environment on human health has been known for ages. Phytonutrients (7,000 flavonoids and phenolic compounds; 600 carotenoids) and pro-health nutrients—nutraceuticals positively add to human health and may prevent disorders such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. Plant-derived bioactive metabolites have acquired an imperative function in human diet and nutrition. Natural phytochemicals affect genome expression (nutrigenomics and transcriptomics) and signaling pathways and act as epigenetic modulators of the epigenome (nutri epigenomics). Transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, miRNomics, and metabolomics are some of the main platforms of complete omics analyses, finding use in functional food and nutraceuticals. Now the recent advancement in the integrated omics approach, which is an amalgamation of multiple omics platforms, is practiced comprehensively to comprehend food functionality in food science.

From lessons on the long-term effects of the preimplantation environment on later health to a "modified ART-DOHaD" animal model

Background

At its earliest stages, mammalian embryonic development is apparently simple but vulnerable. The environment during the preimplantation period, which only lasts a couple of days, has been implicated in adult health, extending to such early stages the concept of the developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD).

Methods

In this review, we first provide a brief history of assisted reproductive technology (ART) focusing on in vitro culture and its outcomes during subsequent development mainly in mice and humans. Further, we introduce the "MEM mouse," a novel type 2 diabetes mouse model generated by in vitro culture of preimplantation embryos in alpha minimum essential medium (αMEM).

Main findings

The association between ART and its long-term effects has been carefully examined for its application in human infertility treatment. The "MEM mouse" develops steatohepatitis and kidney disease with diabetes into adulthood.

Conclusion

The close association between the environment of preimplantation and health in postnatal life is being clarified. The approach by which severe mouse phenotypes are successfully induced by manipulating the environment of preimplantation embryos could provide new chronic disease animal models, which we call "modified ART-DOHaD" animal models. This will also offer insights into the mechanisms underlying their long-term effects.

Understanding the Gastrointestinal Protective Effects of Polyphenols using Foodomics-Based Approaches

Plant polyphenols are rich sources of natural anti-oxidants and prebiotics. After ingestion, most polyphenols are absorbed in the intestine and interact with the gut microbiota and modulated metabolites produced by bacterial fermentation, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Dietary polyphenols immunomodulatory role by regulating intestinal microorganisms, inhibiting the etiology and pathogenesis of various diseases including colon cancer, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colitis. Foodomics is a novel high-throughput analysis approach widely applied in food and nutrition studies, incorporating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and integrating multi-omics technologies. In this review, we present an overview of foodomics technologies for identifying active polyphenol components from natural foods, as well as a summary of the gastrointestinal protective effects of polyphenols based on foodomics approaches. Furthermore, we critically assess the limitations in applying foodomics technologies to investigate the protective effect of polyphenols on the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Finally, we outline future directions of foodomics techniques to investigate GI protective effects of polyphenols. Foodomics based on the combination of several analytical platforms and data processing for genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics studies, provides abundant data and a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between polyphenols and the GI tract at the molecular level. This contribution provides a basis for further exploring the protective mechanisms of polyphenols on the GI system.

Role of Key Micronutrients from Nutrigenetic and Nutrigenomic Perspectives in Cancer Prevention

Regarding cancer as a genetic multi-factorial disease, a number of aspects need to be investigated and analyzed in terms of cancer's predisposition, development and prognosis. One of these multi-dimensional factors, which has gained increased attention in the oncological field due to its unelucidated role in risk assessment for cancer, is diet. Moreover, as studies advance, a clearer connection between diet and the molecular alteration of patients is becoming identifiable and quantifiable, thereby replacing the old general view associating specific phenotypical changes with the differential intake of nutrients. Respectively, there are two major fields concentrated on the interrelation between genome and diet: nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. Nutrigenetics studies the effects of nutrition at the gene level, whereas nutrigenomics studies the effect of nutrients on genome and transcriptome patterns. By precisely evaluating the interaction between the genomic profile of patients and their nutrient intake, it is possible to envision a concept of personalized medicine encompassing nutrition and health care. The list of nutrients that could have an inhibitory effect on cancer development is quite extensive, with evidence in the scientific literature. The administration of these nutrients showed significant results in vitro and in vivo regarding cancer inhibition, although more studies regarding administration in effective doses in actual patients need to be done.

Bioactive Nutrients and Nutrigenomics in Age-Related Diseases

The increased life expectancy and the expansion of the elderly population are stimulating research into aging. Aging may be viewed as a multifactorial process that results from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors, which include lifestyle. Human molecular processes are influenced by physiological pathways as well as exogenous factors, which include the diet. Dietary components have substantive effects on metabolic health; for instance, bioactive molecules capable of selectively modulating specific metabolic pathways affect the development/progression of cardiovascular and neoplastic disease. As bioactive nutrients are increasingly identified, their clinical and molecular chemopreventive effects are being characterized and systematic analyses encompassing the "omics" technologies (transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) are being conducted to explore their action. The evolving field of molecular pathological epidemiology has unique strength to investigate the effects of dietary and lifestyle exposure on clinical outcomes. The mounting body of knowledge regarding diet-related health status and disease risk is expected to lead in the near future to the development of improved diagnostic procedures and therapeutic strategies targeting processes relevant to nutrition. The state of the art of aging and nutrigenomics research and the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of bioactive nutrients on the main aging-related disorders are reviewed herein.

Guide and Position of the International Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics on Personalized Nutrition: Part 2 - Ethics, Challenges and Endeavors of Precision Nutrition

Nutrigenetics considers the influence of individual genetic variation on differences in response to dietary components, nutrient requirements and predisposition to disease. Nutrigenomics involves the study of interactions between the genome and diet, including how nutrients affect the transcription and translation process plus subsequent proteomic and metabolomic changes, and also differences in response to dietary factors based on the individual genetic makeup. Personalized characteristics such as age, gender, physical activity, physiological state and social status, and special conditions such as pregnancy and risk of disease can inform dietary advice that more closely meets individual needs. Precision nutrition has a promising future in treating the individual according to their phenotype and genetic characteristics, aimed at both the treatment and prevention of disease. However, many aspects are still in progress and remain as challenges for the future of nutrition. The integration of the human genotype and microbiome needs to be better understood. Further advances in data interpretation tools are also necessary, so that information obtained through newer tests and technologies can be properly transferred to consumers. Indeed, precision nutrition will integrate genetic data with phenotypical, social, cultural and personal preferences and lifestyles matters to provide a more individual nutrition, but considering public health perspectives, where ethical, legal and policy aspects need to be defined and implemented.

The relationship between physical activity and diet and young children's cognitive development: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Given the high prevalence of suboptimal nutrition and low activity levels in children, we systematically reviewed the literature on the relationship between physical activity and dietary patterns and cognitive development in early childhood (six months to five years).

METHODS

In February 2016, we conducted two different searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Each search included either physical activity (including gross motor skills) or diet terms, and neurocognitive development outcome terms. Included studies were in English, published since 2005, and of any study design in which the physical activity or diet measure occurred prior to age five.

RESULTS

For physical activity, twelve studies (5 cross-sectional, 3 longitudinal and 4 experimental) were included. Eleven studies reported evidence suggesting that physical activity or gross motor skills are related to cognition or learning. Both acute bouts and longer term exposures showed benefit. For diet, eight studies were included consisting of secondary analyses from longitudinal cohort studies. A healthier dietary pattern was associated with better cognitive outcomes in all studies, although some of the reported associations were weak and the measures used varied across the studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity and healthy diets in early childhood are associated with better cognitive outcomes in young children. The paucity of literature and the variability in the type and quality of measures used highlight the need for more rigorous research. Given that the early childhood years are critical for both obesity prevention and neurocognitive development, evidence that the same healthy behaviors could promote both should inform future interventions.

The genomics of micronutrient requirements

Healthy nutrition is accepted as a cornerstone of public health strategies for reducing the risk of noncommunicable conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and related morbidities. However, many research studies continue to focus on single or at most a few factors that may elicit a metabolic effect. These reductionist approaches resulted in: (1) exaggerated claims for nutrition as a cure or prevention of disease; (2) the wide use of empirically based dietary regimens, as if one fits all; and (3) frequent disappointment of consumers, patients, and healthcare providers about the real impact nutrition can make on medicine and health. Multiple factors including environment, host and microbiome genetics, social context, the chemical form of the nutrient, its (bio)availability, and chemical and metabolic interactions among nutrients all interact to result in nutrient requirement and in health outcomes. Advances in laboratory methodologies, especially in analytical and separation techniques, are making the chemical dissection of foods and their availability in physiological tissues possible in an unprecedented manner. These omics technologies have opened opportunities for extending knowledge of micronutrients and of their metabolic and endocrine roles. While these technologies are crucial, more holistic approaches to the analysis of physiology and environment, novel experimental designs, and more sophisticated computational methods are needed to advance our understanding of how nutrition influences health of individuals.

Epigenetic modifications due to heavy metals exposure in children living in polluted areas

The aim of the present article is to provide a summary of the epigenetic modifications that might occur in children exposed to heavy metals pollutants. It is known that children are more susceptible to environmental pollutants, because their detoxification enzymes are less competent, and this may lead to alterations in chromatin structure or of DNA causing, in turn, epigenetic modifications. Little is currently known about the long-term effects of these changes when occur early in childhood, none-theless there are ethics and practical concerns that make the assessment of DNA modifications difficult to perform in large-scale.

Omics and integrated omics for the promotion of food and nutrition science

Transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are three major platforms of comprehensive omics analysis in the science of food and complementary medicine. Other omics disciplines, including those of epigenetics and microRNA, are matters of increasing concern. The increased use of the omics approach in food science owes much to the recent advancement of technology and bioinformatic methodologies. Moreover, many researchers now put the combination of multiple omics analysis (integrated omics) into practice to exhaustively understand the functionality of food components. However, data analysis of integrated omics requires huge amount of work and high skill of data handling. A database of nutritional omics data was constructed by the authors, which should help food scientists to analyze their own omics data more effectively. In addition, a novel tool for the easy visualization of omics data was developed by the authors’ group. The tool enables one to overview the changes of multiple omics in the KEGG pathway. Research in traditional and complementary medicine will be further facilitated by promoting the integrated omics research of food functionality. Such integrated research will only be possible with the effective collaboration of scientists with different backgrounds.

Genetic associations with micronutrient levels identified in immune and gastrointestinal networks

The discovery of vitamins and clarification of their role in preventing frank essential nutrient deficiencies occurred in the early 1900s. Much vitamin research has understandably focused on public health and the effects of single nutrients to alleviate acute conditions. The physiological processes for maintaining health, however, are complex systems that depend upon interactions between multiple nutrients, environmental factors, and genetic makeup. To analyze the relationship between these factors and nutritional health, data were obtained from an observational, community-based participatory research program of children and teens (age 6–14) enrolled in a summer day camp in the Delta region of Arkansas. Assessments of erythrocyte S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and 6 organic micronutrients (retinol, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, pyridoxal, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin E), and 1,129 plasma proteins were performed at 3 time points in each of 2 years. Genetic makeup was analyzed with 1 M SNP genotyping arrays, and nutrient status was assessed with 24-h dietary intake questionnaires. A pattern of metabolites (met_PC1) that included the ratio of erythrocyte SAM/SAH, Hcy, and 5 vitamins were identified by principal component analysis. Met_PC1 levels were significantly associated with (1) single-nucleotide polymorphisms, (2) levels of plasma proteins, and (3) multilocus genotypes coding for gastrointestinal and immune functions, as identified in a global network of metabolic/protein–protein interactions. Subsequent mining of data from curated pathway, network, and genome-wide association studies identified genetic and functional relationships that may be explained by gene–nutrient interactions. The systems nutrition strategy described here has thus associated a multivariate metabolite pattern in blood with genes involved in immune and gastrointestinal functions.

Methylation potential associated with diet, genotype, protein, and metabolite levels in the Delta Obesity Vitamin Study

Micronutrient research typically focuses on analyzing the effects of single or a few nutrients on health by analyzing a limited number of biomarkers. The observational study described here analyzed micronutrients, plasma proteins, dietary intakes, and genotype using a systems approach. Participants attended a community-based summer day program for 6-14 year old in 2 years. Genetic makeup, blood metabolite and protein levels, and dietary differences were measured in each individual. Twenty-four-hour dietary intakes, eight micronutrients (vitamins A, D, E, thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, pyridoxal, and pyridoxine) and 3 one-carbon metabolites [homocysteine (Hcy), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH)], and 1,129 plasma proteins were analyzed as a function of diet at metabolite level, plasma protein level, age, and sex. Cluster analysis identified two groups differing in SAM/SAH and differing in dietary intake patterns indicating that SAM/SAH was a potential marker of nutritional status. The approach used to analyze genetic association with the SAM/SAH metabolites is called middle-out: SNPs in 275 genes involved in the one-carbon pathway (folate, pyridoxal/pyridoxine, thiamin) or were correlated with SAM/SAH (vitamin A, E, Hcy) were analyzed instead of the entire 1M SNP data set. This procedure identified 46 SNPs in 25 genes associated with SAM/SAH demonstrating a genetic contribution to the methylation potential. Individual plasma metabolites correlated with 99 plasma proteins. Fourteen proteins correlated with body mass index, 49 with group age, and 30 with sex. The analytical strategy described here identified subgroups for targeted nutritional interventions.

Epigenetics and personalized medicine: prospects and ethical issues

As scientific knowledge about gene-environment interactions and the role of epigenetic factors in gene expression grows, new possibilities for personalized medicine may be opened up. In particular, the associations that have been demonstrated between epigenetic markers and certain diseases are an exciting development for personalized medicine. These advances also create new ethical challenges, regarding causal and moral responsibility, due to unique characteristics of how epigenetic effects regulate gene expression, are established and may change over the course of a person's life. This article examines the ethical implications of integrating epigenetic knowledge into personalized medicine.

Do dietary trajectories between infancy and toddlerhood influence IQ in childhood and adolescence? Results from a prospective birth cohort study

OBJECTIVE

We examined whether trajectories of dietary patterns from 6 to 24 months of age are associated with intelligence quotient (IQ) in childhood and adolescence.

METHODS

Participants were children enrolled in a prospective UK birth cohort (n = 7,652) who had IQ measured at age 8 and/or 15 years. Dietary patterns were previously extracted from questionnaires when children were aged 6, 15 and 24 months using principal component analysis. Dietary trajectories were generated by combining scores on similar dietary patterns across each age, using multilevel mixed models. Associations between dietary trajectories and IQ were examined in generalized linear models with adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Four dietary pattern trajectories were constructed from 6 to 24 months of age and were named according to foods that made the strongest contribution to trajectory scores; Healthy (characterised by breastfeeding at 6 months, raw fruit and vegetables, cheese and herbs at 15 and 24 months); Discretionary (biscuits, chocolate, crisps at all ages), Traditional (meat, cooked vegetables and puddings at all ages) and, Ready-to-eat (use of ready-prepared baby foods at 6 and 15 months, biscuits, bread and breakfast cereals at 24 months). In fully-adjusted models, a 1 SD change in the Healthy trajectory was weakly associated with higher IQ at age 8 (1.07 (95%CI 0.17, 1.97)) but not 15 years (0.49 (-0.28, 1.26)). Associations between the Discretionary and Traditional trajectories with IQ at 8 and 15 years were as follows; Discretionary; 8 years -0.35(-1.03, 0.33), 15 years -0.73(-1.33, -0.14) Traditional; 8 years -0.19(-0.71, 0.33)15 years -0.41(-0.77, -0.04)). The Ready-to-eat trajectory had no association with IQ at either age (8 years 0.32(-4.31, 4.95), 15 years 1.11(-3.10, 5.33).

CONCLUSIONS

The Discretionary and Traditional dietary pattern trajectories from 6 to 24 months of age, over the period when food patterns begin to emerge, are weakly associated with IQ in adolescence.

Differential DNA methylation patterns between high and low responders to a weight loss intervention in overweight or obese adolescents: the EVASYON study

In recent years, epigenetic markers emerged as a new tool to understand the influence of lifestyle factors on obesity phenotypes. Adolescence is considered an important epigenetic window over a human's lifetime. The objective of this work was to explore baseline changes in DNA methylation that could be associated with a better weight loss response after a multidisciplinary intervention program in Spanish obese or overweight adolescents. Overweight or obese adolescents (n=107) undergoing 10 wk of a multidisciplinary intervention for weight loss were assigned as high or low responders to the treatment. A methylation microarray was performed to search for baseline epigenetic differences between the 2 groups (12 subjects/group), and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to validate (n=107) relevant CpG sites and surrounding regions. After validation, 5 regions located in or near AQP9, DUSP22, HIPK3, TNNT1, and TNNI3 genes showed differential methylation levels between high and low responders to the multidisciplinary weight loss intervention. Moreover, a calculated methylation score was significantly associated with changes in weight, BMI-SDS, and body fat mass loss after the treatment. In summary, we have identified 5 DNA regions that are differentially methylated depending on weight loss response. These methylation changes may help to better understand the weight loss response in obese adolescents.

Recent advances in nutrition, genes and brain health

Molecular mechanisms underlying brain structure and function are affected by nutrition throughout the life cycle, with profound implications for health and disease. Responses to nutrition are in turn influenced by individual differences in multiple target genes. Recent advances in genomics and epigenomics are increasing understanding of mechanisms by which nutrition and genes interact. This review starts with a short account of current knowledge on nutrition-gene interactions, focusing on the significance of epigenetics to nutritional regulation of gene expression, and the roles of SNP and copy number variants (CNV) in determining individual responses to nutrition. A critical assessment is then provided of recent advances in nutrition-gene interactions, and especially energy status, in three related areas: (i) mental health and well-being, (ii) mental disorders and schizophrenia, (iii) neurological (neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative) disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Optimal energy status, including physical activity, has a positive role in mental health. By contrast, sub-optimal energy status, including undernutrition and overnutrition, is implicated in many disorders of mental health and neurology. These actions are mediated by changes in energy metabolism and multiple signalling molecules, e.g. brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). They often involve epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation and histone modifications. Recent advances show that many brain disorders result from a sophisticated network of interactions between numerous environmental and genetic factors. Personal, social and economic costs of sub-optimal brain health are immense. Future advances in understanding the complex interactions between nutrition, genes and the brain should help to reduce these costs and enhance quality of life.

Proteomics at the interface of psychology, gut physiology and dysfunction: an underexploited approach that deserves expansion

Gut functions such as digestion and absorption are essential to life and the emerging insights into the gut-brain axis - that is, the cross talk between the enteric and CNS - point towards critical links between (eating) behavior, psychology, whole body and gut physiology, and digestive and overall health. While proteomics is ideally positioned to shed more light on these interactions, be it applied to the periphery (e.g., blood) or the locus of action (i.e., the gut), it is to date largely underexploited, mainly because of challenging sampling and tissue complexity. In view of the contrast between potential and current delivery of proteomics in the context of intestinal health, this article briefs the reader on the state-of-the-art of molecular intestinal research, reviews current proteomic studies (explicitly focusing on the most recent ones that target inflammatory bowel disease patient samples) and argues for an expansion of this research field.

Inclusion and exclusion in nutrigenetics clinical research: ethical and scientific challenges

BACKGROUND/AIMS

There are compelling reasons to ensure the participation of ethnic minorities and populations of all ages worldwide in nutrigenetics clinical research. If findings in such research are valid for some individuals, groups, or communities, and not for others, then ethical questions of justice--and not only issues of methodology and external validity--arise. This paper aims to examine inclusion in nutrigenetics clinical research and its scientific and ethical challenges.

METHODS

In total, 173 publications were identified through a systematic review of clinical studies in nutrigenetics published between 1998 and 2007. Data such as participants' demographics as well as eligibility criteria were extracted.

RESULTS

There is no consistency in the way participants' origins (ancestry, ethnicity, or race) and ages are described in publications. A vast majority of the studies identified was conducted in North America and Europe and focused on 'white' participants. Our results show that pregnant women (and fetuses), minors, and the elderly (≥ 75 years old) remain underrepresented.

CONCLUSION

Representativeness in nutrigenetics research is a challenging ethical and scientific issue. Yet, if nutrigenetics is to benefit whole populations and be used in public and global health agendas, fair representation as well as clear descriptions of participants in publications are crucial.

Anthropometric changes in Sweden during the obesity epidemic--increased overweight among adolescents of non-Nordic origin

AIM

To compare overweight, obesity and thinness prevalences in adolescents born in 1979 and 1985 and to evaluate the influence of parental migration background.

METHODS

A total of 2306 15- to 16-year-old girls and boys in Gothenburg, Sweden, participated in two cross-sectional surveys (1994 and 2000). Height and weight were measured and interviews about parental origin were conducted. Overweight and obesity were classified according to International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and WHO. Thinness was classified according to Cole.

RESULTS

Among girls, the prevalence of thinness decreased, 8.4% vs. 4.7%. The prevalence of overweight, including obesity, according to IOTF criteria, was 11.8% and 13.7% in 1994 and 2000, respectively. The corresponding figures according to WHO criteria were 14.5% and 17.5%. No significant changes occurred between cohorts in prevalences of overweight and obesity. However, when interaction between survey year and origin was tested, there was a significant difference in overweight according to WHO criteria (p=0.022).

CONCLUSION

A shift entailing increased risk for overweight in adolescents of non-Nordic origin was observed, while no changes occurred in the general population. Individual background factors are important to consider both for correct conclusions about health development in the population and for identification of target groups for health-promoting interventions.

Nutrition and cognition: meeting the challenge to obtain credible and evidence-based facts

Nutrition provides a practical and appealing approach to cognitive enhancement, including the modulation of long-term cognitive processes such as neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. An abundance of promising nutritional influences on cognition have been identified, but many long-term effects remain to be confirmed by data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The current article provides a general outline of various factors that hamper the demonstration of causal long-term nutritional effects on cognition by RCTs and advocates the development of methodological solutions to enable substantiation in future RCTs.