Associations of Milk Consumption and Vitamin B₂ and Β12 Derived from Milk with Fitness, Anthropometric and Biochemical Indices in Children. The Healthy Growth Study

Standard vs. Nutrient-Enriched Cow's Milk and Its Impacts on Child Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Stunting among children indicates malnutrition or undernutrition, hindering their growth and development. This will have negative effects on the overall health of children. This review investigates the effects of different types of cow's milk and their impacts on children's growth. A web-based search of Cochrane, Web of Science, SAGE, and Prospero was carried out using predetermined search/MESH phrases and keywords. The data extraction and analysis were carried out independently by two reviewers, who then double-checked, revised, and discussed any disagreements with a third reviewer. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were rated as good (N = 5) and fair quality (N = 3), which were included in the final analysis. The results illustrated that standard cow's milk has more consistent findings than nutrient-enriched cow's milk potentially in assisting children's growth. However, studies on standard cow's milk and child's growth are still lacking for this age group. In addition, there are inconsistent findings between nutrient-enriched cow's milk and children's growth. It is crucial to ensure milk is included in children's diets as per recommended nutrient intake.

Recommended dairy intake is associated with healthy dietary habits, better physical fitness, less obesity and a healthier lifestyle profile in school age children

This study aimed to identify the association of recommended dairy intake with several dietary habits, obesity, physical fitness (PF), physical activity (PA), screen time and sleep. Population data were derived from a health survey on a representative sample of 177 091 children aged 8-17 years. Dairy intake and dietary habits were evaluated using questionnaires (KIDMED index). Participants were characterised as 'dairy products consumers' based on whether they met current recommendations for milk or dairy consumption (e.g. if they consumed two yogurts and/or 40 g cheese and a cup of milk daily). Participants who did not consume the above-mentioned quantities were characterised as 'non-consumers.' Anthropometric and PF data were obtained by trained investigators. PA status, screen time and sleeping habits were assessed through self-completed questionnaires. Boys and girls consuming recommended dairy products were 25 % (95 % CI: 0·71, 0·79) and 43 % (95 % CI: 0·51, 0·64) less likely to have low performances in cardiorespiratory fitness tests, Participants from both sexes classified as dairy products consumers had lower odds of central obesity by 10 % (95 % CI: 0·86, 0·95), as compared with non-consumers. Moreover, recommended dairy products consumers had lower odds for insufficient sleep by 8 % (95 % CI: 0·89, 0·96) in boys and 14 % (95 % CI: 0·83-0·90) in girls, for inadequate PA levels by 15 % (95 % CI: 0·77, 0·93) in boys and 16 % (95 % CI: 0·76, 0·90) in girls and for increased screen time by 11 % (95 % CI: 0·83, 0·95) in boys and 9 % (95 % CI: 0·85, 0·97) in girls than no-consumers. In conclusion, recommended dairy intake is associated with less obesity, better PF and a healthier lifestyle profile.

The Association between Disordered Eating Behavior and Body Image Biological Maturation and Levels of Adipocytokines in Preadolescent Girls: The Healthy Growth Study

During puberty, rapid, complex hormonal, physical and cognitive changes occur that affect body image and eating behavior. The aim of this cross-sectional study, a secondary analysis of data from the Greek Healthy Growth Study, was to explore associations of disordered eating behaviors and body image in 1206 10–12-year-old girls during pubertal maturation, with serum leptin and adiponectin levels, according to body mass index (BMI). Eating behavior and disordered eating were assessed with the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the Children Eating Attitudes Test Questionnaire (ChEAT), respectively. Associations of components of DEBQ and ChEAT with maturation according to Tanner Stage (TS) and levels of leptin and adiponectin were explored by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Adiponectin levels in girls at TS 1 were positively associated with the “social pressure to eat” score of ChEAT. Leptin levels in girls at TS 4 were positively correlated with the “restraint eating” score of DEBQ, and the “dieting”, “body image” and “food awareness” scores of ChEAT. After adjustment for TS and BMI, only “body image” and leptin remained significant. Further research may shed light on how these hormonal changes affect eating behaviors at various pubertal stages, contributing to “TS-specific” preventive strategies for eating disorders in girls.

The association of dietary choline and betaine and anthropometric measurements among Iranian children: a cross-sectional study

Background

Previous studies have suggested that choline and betaine are associated with improved anthropometric measures including, BMI and waist circumference however, results are largely inconsistent and limited studies exist in children. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between dietary choline and betaine, and anthropometric measurements among Iranian children.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, dietary information was collected for 788 six-year-old children, who attended Tehran health centers in 2018. We measured dietary intakes using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The USDA database was used to calculate dietary choline and betaine. We assessed anthropometric characteristics, physical activity, and socio-demographic status based on a reliable and valid protocol. Logistic regression adjusted for energy, physical activity, socio-economic status, and maternal age, physical activity, BMI, and HEI2015 was used to assess this association.

Results

Free choline, glycero-phospho-choline, phospho-choline, phosphatidyl-choline, total choline, and total betaine, and choline were not related to overweight, obesity, underweight and wasting in the crude and adjusted model after controlling for children’s energy intake, children’s physical activity, socio-economic status, maternal physical activity, and BMI. Betaine intake was associated with mid-arm circumference and risk of overweight.

Conclusions

We did not find any evidence to support the association between dietary choline with anthropometric measurements among Iranian children. Further prospective studies with a large sample size in different populations are needed.

The Associations between Dairy Product Consumption and Biomarkers of Inflammation, Adipocytokines, and Oxidative Stress in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

The association between dairy product consumption and biomarkers of inflammation, adipocytokines, and oxidative stress is poorly studied in children. Therefore, these associations were examined in a representative subsample of 1338 schoolchildren with a mean age of 11.5 (±0.7) years in the Healthy Growth Study. Information on dairy product consumption was collected by dietary recalls. Total dairy consumption was calculated by summing the intake of milk, yogurt, and cheese. Inflammatory markers, i.e., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and adipocytokines, i.e., leptin, adiponectin, and the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were analysed. Due to the skewed distribution hs-CRP, IL-6, and leptin were log transformed. Multivariable regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, energy intake, physical activity, parental education, Tanner stage, and fat mass were used to assess the associations between consumption of total dairy, milk, yogurt, cheese, and markers of inflammation, adipocytokines, oxidative stress, and adiponectin-leptin ratio. Our results showed that milk consumption was inversely associated with leptin (β: -0.101; 95% CI: -0.177, -0.025, p = 0.009) and positively associated with the adiponectin-leptin ratio (β: 0.116; 95% CI: 0.020, 0.211; p = 0.018), while total dairy, cheese, and yogurt consumption were not associated with inflammatory, adipocytokine, or antioxidant markers. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.

The association of dietary patterns and cardiorespiratory fitness: A systematic review

AIMS

In comparison to the traditional risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, little is known about the interaction between diet and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The present systematic review aimed to provide comprehensive evidence regarding the relationship between the dietary patterns (DPs) with CRF in both children and adults.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception up to December 2019. All observational studies that had extracted DPs using a posteriori and/or a priori methods, as well as had assessed CRF as the outcome, were eligible for inclusion in the review. Eleven studies (1 longitudinal and 10 cross-sectional studies) comprising a total of 198,271 subjects were included. There was considerable heterogeneity between studies in terms of the extracted DPs, their food items as well as the statistical reporting outcomes; which all made comparisons between the studies difficult. Despite some inconsistent results, overall there was a positive association between the DPs that were highly loaded with fruits and vegetables, as well as closer adherence to the high-quality diets particularly the Mediterranean diet, with higher values of CRF. While, an inverse association was found for unhealthy DPs that were generally characterized by a high intake of refined grains, sweets, meats, processed foods, and high-fat dairy products.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the evidence indicates the high-quality diets that are highlighted in the national dietary guidelines are associated with an optimal CRF. However, these findings should be confirmed by rigorous prospective and interventional studies.

Milk for Skeletal Muscle Health and Sarcopenia in Older Adults: A Narrative Review

Skeletal muscle aging manifests as a decline in muscle quantity and quality that accelerates with aging, increasing the risk of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is characterized by a loss of muscle strength and mass, and contributes to adverse health outcomes in older adults. Intervention studies have shown that sarcopenia may be treated by higher protein intake in combination with resistance exercise (RE). In comparison, less is known about the role of whole protein-containing foods in preventing or treating sarcopenia. Liquid milk contains multiple nutrients and bioactive components that may be beneficial for muscle, including proteins for muscle anabolism that, alone or with RE, may have myoprotective properties. However, there is a lack of evidence about the role of milk and its effects on muscle aging. This narrative review considers evidence from three observational and eight intervention studies that used milk or fortified milk, with or without exercise, as an intervention to promote muscle health and function in older adults (aged 50–99 years). The observational studies showed no association between higher habitual milk consumption and muscle-related outcomes. The results of intervention studies using fortified milk in relation to elements of sarcopenia were also negative, with further inconclusive results from the studies using a combination of (fortified) milk and exercise. Although milk contains nutrients that may be myoprotective, current evidence does not show beneficial effects of milk on muscle health in older adults. This could be due to high habitual protein intakes (>1.0 g/kg BW/d) in study participants, differences in the type of milk (low-fat vs whole) and timing of milk consumption, length of interventions, as well as differences in the sarcopenia status of participants in trials. Adequately powered intervention studies of individuals likely to benefit are needed to test the effectiveness of a whole food approach, including milk, for healthy muscle aging.

Association of Dairy Product Consumption with Metabolic and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the LabMed Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between dairy product consumption and metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in Portuguese adolescents, and whether the association differed by weight status. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the school year 2011/2012 with 412 Portuguese adolescents (52.4% girls) in 7th and 10th grade (aged 12 to 18 years old). The World Health Organization cutoffs were used to categorize adolescents as non-overweight (NW) or overweight (OW). Blood samples were collected to analyze C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), leptin, and adiponectin. Dairy product intake was evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. Participants were divided by tertiles according to the amount of dairy product consumed. The associations between dairy product consumption with metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated using generalized linear regression models with logarithmic link and gamma distribution and adjusted for potential confounders. The majority of adolescents were NW (67.2%). NW adolescents had lower IL-6, CRP, and leptin concentration than their counterparts (p < 0.05, for all comparisons). Higher levels of total dairy product and milk intake were inversely associated with IL-6 (P for trend <0.05, for all) in NW adolescents, but not in OW adolescents. NW adolescents in the second tertile of yogurt consumption had lower level of IL-6 compared to those in the first tertile (p = 0.004). Our results suggest an inverse association between total dairy product and milk intake and serum concentrations of IL-6 only among NW adolescents.

A Positive Association Between Dietary Intake of Higher Cow's Milk-Fat Percentage and Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Young Children

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between cow's milk-fat and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol, a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young children, and whether this association is mediated by the typical volume of cow's milk consumed.

STUDY DESIGN

A longitudinal study in 2- to 8-year-old children (n = 2890) was conducted through The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!), a practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between parent-reported cow's milk-fat percentage intake and serum non-HDL cholesterol concentrations as well as having high non-HDL cholesterol (≥3.75 mmol/L [145 mg/dL]), adjusting for covariates including age, sex, body mass index z score, breastfeeding duration, mother's ethnicity, and parental history of CVD. Bootstrap resampling (10 000 repetitions) was used to assess whether typical volume consumed mediated the association between cow's milk-fat percentage and non-HDL cholesterol.

RESULTS

In total, 156 (5.4%) had high non-HDL cholesterol. Each percent increase in cow's milk-fat was associated with a 0.035 mmol/L (1.35 mg/dL) (P < .001) and 0.024 mmol/L (0.92 mg/dL) (P = .01) increase in non-HDL cholesterol, unadjusted and adjusted for covariates respectively. Cow's milk-fat percentage was not associated with greater odds of having high non-HDL cholesterol. Volume of cow's milk partially mediated the association between cow's milk-fat percentage and non-HDL cholesterol, accounting for 28% of the relationship (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of higher-fat cow's milk was associated with a small increase in non-HDL cholesterol but not greater odds of having high non-HDL cholesterol. Further research is needed to assess this relationship with other CVD risk factors in young children.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01869530.

What Do We Know about Diet and Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Children: A Review

Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main health concerns in the 21st century, with CVD as the number one cause of mortality worldwide. Although CVD hard endpoints such as stroke or heart attack do not usually occur in children, evidence shows that the manifestation of CVD risk factors begins in childhood, preceding clinical complications of CVD in adulthood. Dietary intake is a modifiable risk factor that has been shown to make a substantial contribution to the risk of CVD in adulthood. However, less is known about the association between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health in children. This review summarises the current evidence on the relationship between dietary intake and markers of cardiovascular health including traditional CVD risk factors, physical fitness, and indices of arterial stiffness and wave reflection in children. Original research published in English, between January 2008 and December 2018 fulfilling the objective of this review were screened and included. Findings show that adaptation of a healthy lifestyle early in life can be beneficial for reducing the risk of CVD later in life. Furthermore, keeping arterial stiffness low from a young age could be a potential CVD prevention strategy. However, limited studies are available on diet-arterial stiffness relationship in children, and future research is required to better understand this association to aid the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies for preventing CVD-related complications later in life.