Early nutritional and growth experiences can impact development, metabolic function, and reproductive outcomes in adulthood, influencing health trajectories in the next generation. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis regulates growth, metabolism, and energetic investment, but whether it plays a role in the pathway linking maternal experience with offspring prenatal development is unclear. To test this, we investigated patterns of maternal developmental weight gain (a proxy of early nutrition), young adult energy stores, age, and parity as predictors of biomarkers of the pregnancy IGF axis (n = 36) using data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey in Metro Cebu, Philippines. We analyzed maternal conditional weight measures at 2, 8, and 22 years of age and leptin at age 22 (a marker of body fat/energy stores) in relation to free IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in mid/late pregnancy (mean age = 27). Maternal IGF axis measures were also assessed as predictors of offspring fetal growth. Maternal age, parity, and age 22 leptin were associated with pregnancy free IGF-1, offspring birth weight, and offspring skinfold thickness. We find that free IGF-1 levels in pregnancy are more closely related to nutritional status in early adulthood than to preadult developmental nutrition and demonstrate significant effects of young adult leptin on offspring fetal fat mass deposition. We suggest that the previously documented finding that maternal developmental nutrition predicts offspring birth size likely operates through pathways other than the maternal IGF axis, which reflects more recent energy status.

Early life stress (ELS) and a Western diet (WD) promote mood and cardiovascular disorders, however, how these risks interact in disease pathogenesis is unclear. We assessed effects of ELS with or without a subsequent WD on behaviour, cardiometabolic risk factors, and cardiac function/ischaemic tolerance in male mice. Fifty-six new-born male C57BL/6J mice were randomly allocated to a control group (CON) undisturbed before weaning, or to maternal separation (3h/day) and early (postnatal day 17) weaning (MSEW). Mice consumed standard rodent chow (CON, n = 14; MSEW, n = 15) or WD chow (WD, n = 19; MSEW + WD, n = 19) from week 8 to 24. Fasted blood was sampled and open field test and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests undertaken at 7, 15, and 23 weeks of age, with hearts excised at 24 weeks for Langendorff perfusion (evaluating pre- and post-ischaemic function). MSEW alone transiently increased open field activity at 7 weeks; body weight and serum triglycerides at 4 and 7 weeks, respectively; and final blood glucose levels and insulin resistance at 23 weeks. WD increased insulin resistance and body weight gain, the latter potentiated by MSEW. MSEW + WD was anxiogenic, reducing EPM open arm activity vs. WD alone. Although MSEW had modest metabolic effects and did not influence cardiac function or ischaemic tolerance in lean mice, it exacerbated weight gain and anxiogenesis, and improved ischaemic tolerance in WD fed animals. MSEW-induced increases in body weight (obesity) in WD fed animals in the absence of changes in insulin resistance may have protected the hearts of these mice.

More than two-thirds of women during childbearing years (20–39 years old) are overweight or obese in the United States, with protein intake among 20–49-year-old women being 1.6 times higher than recommended (75.4 g/day versus 46 g/day) that can be considered as a relatively high-protein diet (HPD). Both gestational obesity and HPDs during gestation adversely affect offspring health. This study investigates the impact of HPDs fed during gestation and lactation on obese mothers and their offspring in Wistar rats. Dams randomized to either a normal-protein diet (NPD) or HPD (n = 12/group). Pups from each maternal group were weaned to either NPD or HPD for 17 weeks (n = 12/group). No effect of maternal or weaning diet on food intake, body weight, or body fat/weight ratio was observed. However, NPD dams exhibited higher glucose area under the curve compared with HPD dams (p < 0.03). At weaning, offspring born to NPD dams showed higher fasting plasma glucose (P < 0.03) and insulin/glucose ratio (P = 0.05) than those born to HPD dams. The Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index was higher in offspring born to NPD dams (P < 0.04) and weaned to NPD (P < 0.05) at week 17. These findings underscore the role of high-protein maternal and weaning diets in pregnancy outcomes for obese mothers, particularly in glucose homeostasis, although gestational obesity may overshadow other parameters. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact on both maternal and offspring health and their underlying mechanisms in this context.

Early-life family meal participation has been associated with several aspects of nutritional health, but longitudinal associations with linear growth have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether family meal participation at 12 months of age associates with anthropometric measures 3 years later. We used follow-up data from children born to mothers in the Norwegian Fit for Delivery trial (NFFD) and included 368 first-borns with dietary and anthropometric data at 12 months and 4 years of age. We treated the sample as a cohort and conducted subgroup analyses by randomization status. A family meal participation score was used as exposure, and weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) as outcomes in crude and multivariable linear regression models adjusted for maternal education, randomization status, and child sex.

Higher family meal participation score at 12 months was positively associated with length at 12 months (B = 0.198, 95% CI 0.028, 0.367, p = 0.022) and 4 years (B = 0.283, 95% CI 0.011, 0.555, p = 0.042) in multivariable models. After additional adjustment for maternal height the associations attenuated and were no longer significant. An inverse association with BMI at 4 years of age was observed in children born to mothers that had been exposed to the NFFD intervention (B = −0.144, 95% CI −0.275, −0.014, p = 0.030), but attenuated after adjustment for maternal BMI.

The longitudinal association observed between early family meal participation and child height was largely explained by maternal height. The relationship with BMI differed according to maternal participation in a lifestyle intervention trial during pregnancy.

This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal birth weight (MBW) with preterm delivery (PTD) in the Japanese population. To this end, a total of 78,972 Japanese pregnant women were included in a prospective birth cohort study. Multiple logistic regression and multinominal logistic regression models were applied to investigate the associations of MBW with PTD (delivery from 22 to < 37 weeks of gestation), early PTD (delivery from 22 to < 34 weeks), and late PTD (delivery from 34 to < 37 weeks). The results showed that MBW was inversely associated with PTD, early PTD, and late PTD (p-for-trend < 0.0001, 0.0014, and < 0.0001, respectively). The adjusted odds ratios per each 500 g of MBW decrease were 1.167 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.118–1.218) for PTD, 1.174 (95% CI: 1.070–1.287) for early PTD and 1.151 (95% CI: 1.098–1.206) for late PTD. The effect size of the association of MBW with early PTD was similar to that with late PTD. This study demonstrated for the first time an association of a low MBW with PTD, early PTD, and late PTD in a Japanese nationwide cohort.

Childhood obesity represents a significant global health concern and identifying its risk factors is crucial for developing intervention programs. Many “omics” factors associated with the risk of developing obesity have been identified, including genomic, microbiomic, and epigenomic factors. Here, using a sample of 48 infants, we investigated how the methylation profiles in cord blood and placenta at birth were associated with weight outcomes (specifically, conditional weight gain, body mass index, and weight-for-length ratio) at age six months. We characterized genome-wide DNA methylation profiles using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEpic chip, and incorporated information on child and maternal health, and various environmental factors into the analysis. We used regression analysis to identify genes with methylation profiles most predictive of infant weight outcomes, finding a total of 23 relevant genes in cord blood and 10 in placenta. Notably, in cord blood, the methylation profiles of three genes (PLIN4, UBE2F, and PPP1R16B) were associated with all three weight outcomes, which are also associated with weight outcomes in an independent cohort suggesting a strong relationship with weight trajectories in the first six months after birth. Additionally, we developed a Methylation Risk Score (MRS) that could be used to identify children most at risk for developing childhood obesity. While many of the genes identified by our analysis have been associated with weight-related traits (e.g., glucose metabolism, BMI, or hip-to-waist ratio) in previous genome-wide association and variant studies, our analysis implicated several others, whose involvement in the obesity phenotype should be evaluated in future functional investigations.

We previously showed in rats that pre- and postnatal deficiencies in iron and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids can impair bone development, with additive and potentially irreversible effects when combined. This study aimed to investigate, in female rats consuming a combined iron and n-3 fatty acid deficient (ID + n-3 FAD) diet preconception, whether supplementation with iron and docosahexaenoic/eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA/EPA), alone and in combination, can prevent bone impairments in offspring. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, female Wistar rats consuming an ID + n-3 FAD diet preconception were randomised to receive an: 1) iron supplemented (Fe + n-3 FAD), 2) DHA/EPA supplemented (ID + DHA/EPA), 3) Fe + DHA/EPA, or 4) ID + n-3 FAD diet from gestational day 10 throughout pregnancy and lactation. Post-weaning, offspring (n = 24/group; male:female = 1:1) remained on the respective experimental diets for three weeks until postnatal day 42–45. Offspring born to female rats consuming a control diet preconception and an Fe+DHA/EPA diet throughout pregnancy and lactation served as non-deficient reference group (Control+Fe+DHA/EPA). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone strength using three-point bending tests. Only offspring in the Fe+DHA/EPA group had significantly higher spine and femur BMD, and higher femur stiffness than offspring in the ID + n-3 FAD group, and had similar spine BMD and femur stiffness as the Control + Fe + DHA/EPA group. Offspring in the Fe + DHA/EPA group further had significantly higher femur strength (ultimate load) than the other experimental groups, and a similar femur strength as the Control + Fe + DHA/EPA group. This study shows that only combined iron and DHA/EPA supplementation can prevent bone impairments in offspring of female rats consuming an iron and n-3 FA deficient diet preconception.

Early supplementation with oregano essential oil (EO) in milk replacer (MR) may improve growth, immune responses, the microbiota and the metabolome in dairy calves during pre-weaning and in adulthood. Sixteen female dairy calves (3 days of age) were divided in two groups (n = 8/group): the control group (no EO) and the EO group (0.23 ml of EO in MR during 45 days). After weaning, calves were kept in a feedlot and fed ad libitum. The animals were weighed, and blood and faecal samples were collected on days 3 (T0), 45 (T1) and 370 (T2) to measure the biochemical profile and characterise peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs; CD4+, CD8+, CD14+, CD21+ and WC1+), the metabolome and microbiota composition. The EO group only had greater average daily weight gain during the suckling (EO supplementation) period (P = 0.030). The EO group showed higher average CD14+ population (monocytes) values, a lower abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Faecalibacterium, Blautia and Alloprevotella and increased abundances of Allistipes and Akkermansia. The modification of some metabolites in plasma, such as butyric acid, 3-indole-propionic acid and succinic acid, particularly at T1, are consistent with intestinal microbiota changes. The data suggest that early EO supplementation increases feed efficiency only during the suckling period with notable changes in the microbiota and plasma metabolome; however, not all of these changes can be considered desirable from a gut health point of view. Additional research studies is required to demonstrate that EOs are a viable natural alternative to antibiotics for improving calf growth performance and health.

The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) framework has highlighted the importance of the early life period on disease risk in later life with impacts that can span generations. A primary focus to date has been around maternal health and the ‘First Thousand Days’ as a key developmental window whereby an adverse environment can have lasting impacts on both mother and offspring. More recently, the impact of paternal health has gathered increasing traction as a key window for early life developmental programming. However, to date, adolescents, the next generation of parents, have attracted less attention as a key DOHaD window although many behavioural traits become entrained during adolescence and track into adulthood. This systematic review examined literature focused on identifying adolescent understanding of DOHaD concepts. Consistent across the eligible articles was that overall understanding of DOHaD-related concepts in adolescents was low. Three key themes emerged: 1. Individual-level awareness of DOHaD concepts (cognitive engagement and action of the adolescents themselves); 2. Interpersonal communication and social awareness of DOHaD concepts (cognitive engagement and communication of the DOHaD concepts to family and wider community); and 3. Health literacy and the promotion of adolescence as a key DOHaD life stage. These findings highlight the need to develop strategic approaches to increase DOHaD awareness that are not only appealing to adolescents but can also support sustained changes in health behaviour. Investment in today’s adolescents has the potential to act as a NCD ‘circuit breaker’ and thus will yield significant dividends for future generations.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are critically important for newborn nutrition and in the trajectory of growth and developmental processes throughout early life. This systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023400059) critically analyzes literature pertaining to how omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in human milk are related to health outcomes in early life. Literature selected for the review were published between 2005 and 2020 and included assessments in healthy term children between 0 and 5 years of age. The studies reported the relation between human milk fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3, DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3, EPA), alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3, ALA), arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6, AA), and linoleic acid (C18:2n-6, LA) with three domains of health outcomes: neurodevelopment, body composition, and allergy, skin & eczema. Results from the 21 studies consistently suggested better health outcomes across the three domains for infants consuming milk with higher concentrations of total n-3, DHA, EPA, and ALA. Negative health outcomes across the three domains were associated with higher levels of total n-6, AA, and LA in milk. N-3 and n-6 content of milk were related to neurodevelopmental, body composition, and allergy, skin & eczema outcomes with moderate certainty. Maternal diet impacting milk fatty acid content and fatty acid desaturase genotype modifying physiologic responses to fatty acid intake were prominent gaps identified in the review using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and GRADE approach. This research study can inform baby nutrition product development, and fatty acid intake recommendations or dietary interventions for mothers and children.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between parental and infant birth weights in Japan. In total, 37,504 pregnant Japanese women and their partners were included in this birth cohort study. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations of parental birth weights with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants. Associations between parental birth weight and low birth weight (LBW) infants or macrosomia were also examined, and linear associations between parental birth weight and SGA or LGA were found. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for SGA infants per 500 g decrease in maternal and paternal birth weights were 1.50 (95% confidence interval [CI],1.43–1.58) and 1.31 (95% CI, 1.25–1.38), respectively. The aORs for LGA infants per 500 g increase in maternal and paternal birth weights were 1.53 (95% CI, 1.47–1.60) and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.35–1.47), respectively. The association between parental birth weight and LBW infants or macrosomia was also linear. The aORs for LBW infants per 500 g decrease in maternal and paternal birth weights were 1.47 (95% CI, 1.40–1.55) and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.19–1.31), respectively. The aORs for macrosomia per 500 g increase in maternal and paternal birth weights were 1.59 (95% CI, 1.41–1.79) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.23–1.60), respectively. Parental birth weight was found to be associated with infant birth weight even after adjusting for various parental factors. Furthermore, maternal birth weight was more strongly associated with infant birth weight than with paternal birth weight.

We investigated the influence of maternal yellow-pea fiber supplementation in obese pregnancies on offspring metabolic health in adulthood. Sixty newly-weaned female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to either a low-calorie control diet (CON) or high calorie obesogenic diet (HC) for 6-weeks. Obese animals were then fed either the HC diet alone or the HC diet supplemented with yellow-pea fiber (HC + FBR) for an additional 4-weeks prior to breeding and throughout gestation and lactation. On postnatal day (PND) 21, 1 male and 1 female offspring from each dam were weaned onto the CON diet until adulthood (PND 120) for metabolic phenotyping. Adult male, but not female, HC offspring demonstrated increased body weight and feed intake vs CON offspring, however no protection was offered by maternal FBR supplementation. HC male and female adult offspring demonstrated increased serum glucose and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) compared with CON offspring. Maternal FBR supplementation improved glycemic control in male, but not female offspring. Compared with CON offspring, male offspring from HC dams demonstrated marked dyslipidemia (higher serum cholesterol, increased number of TG-rich lipoproteins, and smaller LDL particles) which was largely normalized in offspring from HC + FBR mothers. Male offspring born to obese mothers (HC) had higher hepatic TG, which tended to be lowered (p = 0.07) by maternal FBR supplementation.

Supplementation of a maternal high calorie diet with yellow-pea fiber in prepregnancy and throughout gestation and lactation protects male offspring from metabolic dysfunction in the absence of any change in body weight status in adulthood.

Birthweight has been associated with diabetes in a reverse J-shape (highest risk at low birthweight and moderately high risk at high birthweight) and inversely associated with hypertension in adulthood with inconsistent evidence for cardiovascular disease. There is a lack of population-based studies examining the incidence of cardiometabolic outcomes in young adults born with low and high birthweights. To evaluate the association between birthweight and diabetes, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) in young adulthood, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 874,904 singletons born in Ontario, Canada, from 1994 to 2002, identified from population-based health administrative data. Separate Cox regression models examined birthweight in association with diabetes, hypertension, and IHD adjusting for confounders. Among adults 18–26 years, the diabetes incidence rate was 18.15 per 100,000 person-years, hypertension was 15.80 per 100,000 person-years, and IHD was 1.85 per 100,000 person-years. Adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) for the hazard of diabetes with low (<2500g) and high (>4000g), compared with normal (2500–4000g) birthweight, were 1.46 (95% CI 1.28, 1.68) and 1.09 (0.99, 1.21), respectively. AHR for hypertension with low and high birthweight were 1.34 (1.15, 1.56) and 0.86 (0.77, 0.97), respectively. AHR for IHD with low and high birthweight were 1.28 (0.80, 2.05) and 0.97 (0.71, 1.33), respectively. Overall, birthweight was associated with diabetes in young adults in a reverse J-shape and inversely with hypertension. There was insufficient evidence of an association with IHD. Further evidence is needed to understand the causal mechanisms between birthweight and cardiometabolic diseases in young adults.

Meta-analysis is used to test a variant of a Developmental Origins of Adult Health and Disease (DOHaD)’s conjecture known as predictive adaptive response (PAR). According to it, individuals who are exposed to mismatches between adverse or constrained in utero conditions, on the one hand, and postnatal obesogenic environments, on the other, are at higher risk of developing adult chronic conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We argue that migrant populations from low and middle to high-income countries offer a unique opportunity to test the conjecture. A database was constructed from an exhaustive literature search of peer-reviewed papers published prior to May 2021 contained in PUBMED and SCOPUS using keywords related to migrants, DOHaD, and associated health outcomes. Random effects meta-regression models were estimated to assess the magnitude of effects associated with migrant groups on the prevalence rate of T2D and hypertension in adults and overweight/obesity in adults and children. Overall, we used 38 distinct studies and 78 estimates of diabetes, 59 estimates of hypertension, 102 estimates of overweight/obesity in adults, and 23 estimates of overweight/obesity in children. Our results show that adult migrants experience higher prevalence of T2D than populations at destination (PR 1.48; 95% CI 1.35–1.65) and origin (PR 1.80; 95% CI 1.40–2.34). Similarly, there is a significant excess of obesity prevalence in children migrants (PR 1.22; 95% CI 1.04–1.43) but not among adult migrants (PR 0.89; 95% CI 0.80–1.01). Although the total effect of migrant status on prevalence of hypertension is centered on zero, some migrant groups show increased risks. Finally, the size of estimated effects varies significantly by migrant groups according to place of destination. Despite limitations inherent to all meta-analyses and admitting that some of our findings may be accounted for alternative explanations, the present study shows empirical evidence consistent with selected PAR-like conjectures.

Low birth weight (BW) is consistently correlated with increased parental risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease, but the links with offspring placental weight (PW) are mostly unexplored. We have investigated the associations between parental coronary heart disease (CHD) and offspring BW and PW using the Walker cohort, a collection of 48,000 birth records from Dundee, Scotland, from the 1950s and 1960s. We linked the medical history of 13,866 mothers and 8,092 fathers to their offspring’s records and performed Cox survival analyses modelling maternal and paternal CHD risk by their offspring’s BW, PW, and the ratio between both measurements. We identified negative associations between offspring BW and both maternal (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88–0.95) and paternal (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93–1.00) CHD risk, the stronger maternal correlation being consistent with previous reports. Offspring PW to BW ratio was positively associated with maternal CHD risk (HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08–1.21), but the associations with paternal CHD were not significant. These analyses provide additional evidence for intergenerational associations between early growth and parental disease, identifying directionally opposed correlations of maternal CHD with offspring BW and PW, and highlight the importance of the placenta as a determinant of early development and adult disease.

Few population studies have sufficient follow-up period to examine early-life exposures with later life diseases. A critical question is whether involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke from conception to adulthood increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) in midlife. In the Collaborative Perinatal Project, serum-validated maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSP) was assessed in the 1960s. At a mean age of 39 years, 1623 offspring were followed-up for the age at first physician-diagnoses of any CMDs, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia. Detailed information on their exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in childhood and adolescence was collected with a validated questionnaire. Cox regression was used to examine associations of in utero exposure to MSP and exposure to ETS from birth to 18 years with lifetime incidence of CMD, adjusting for potential confounders. We calculated midlife cumulative incidences of hyperlipidemia (25.2%), hypertension (14.9%), diabetes (3.9%), and heart disease (1.5%). Lifetime risk of hypertension increased by the 2nd -trimester exposure to MSP (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.29, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.65), ETS in childhood (1.11, 0.99–1.23) and adolescence (1.22, 1.04–1.44). Lifetime risk of diabetes increased by joint exposures to MSP and ETS in childhood (1.23, 1.01–1.50) or adolescence (1.47, 1.02–2.10). These associations were stronger in males than females, in never-daily smokers than lifetime ever smokers. In conclusion, early-life involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke increases midlife risk of hypertension and diabetes in midlife.

Human height and related traits are highly complex, and extensively research has shown that these traits are determined by both genetic and environmental factors. Such factors may partially affect these traits through epigenetic programing. Epigenetic programing is dynamic and plays an important role in controlling gene expression and cell differentiation during (early) development. DNA methylation (DNAm) is the most commonly studied epigenetic feature. In this study we conducted an epigenome-wide DNAm association analysis on height-related traits in a Sub-Saharan African population, in order to detect DNAm biomarkers across four height-related traits. DNAm profiles were acquired in whole blood samples of 704 Ghanaians, sourced from the Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants study, using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Linear models were fitted to detect differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and regions (DMRs) associated with height, leg-to-height ratio (LHR), leg length, and sitting height. No epigenome-wide significant DMPs were recorded. However we did observe among our top DMPs five informative probes associated with the height-related traits: cg26905768 (leg length), cg13268132 (leg length), cg19776793 (height), cg23072383 (LHR), and cg24625894 (sitting height). All five DMPs are annotated to genes whose functions were linked to bone cell regulation and development. DMR analysis identified overlapping DMRs within the gene body of HLA-DPB1 gene, and the HOXA gene cluster. In this first epigenome-wide association studies of these traits, our findings suggest DNAm associations with height-related heights, and might influence development and maintenance of these traits. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings, and to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying human height-related traits.

Childhood infections have been shown to stunt growth, contribute to malnutrition and reduce cognition in early adulthood. This study aimed to assess relationships between early life infections and childhood cognition at age 11 years in the Newcastle Thousand Families Study (NTFS). The analysis included 741 members from the NTFS who had complete data for infections between birth and 5 years, and the 11-plus examinations. School records from the 11-plus examinations showed cognitive (IQ), English (EQ) and arithmetic (AQ) abilities. Housing conditions, overcrowding, birth order and social class were recorded at birth. Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was measured at age 49–51 years. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine relationships between infections and cognition. The total number of infections in the first 5 years of life was not significantly associated with IQ, EQ or AQ, nor were there significant relationships between cognitive outcomes and most infections. Tonsillitis did display a positive, significant association with IQ after adjustment for confounders (b = 6.43, 95% CI 0.92, 11.94, p = 0.022). Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) showed significant negative relationships with all cognitive outcomes. H. pylori seropositivity at age 50 exhibited negative, significant relationships with EQ (p = 0.014) and AQ (p = 0.024) after adjustment for confounders. Although no significant relationship between overall infections and cognition were found, there were indications that LRTIs and gastrointestinal system infections may limit cognitive development. Given these infections remain prevalent, further research regarding severity and recurrence of infections and how they affect childhood cognition is needed.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) approach supports that nutritional exposures in early life affect an individual’s later health and risk of disease. Dietary exposure during the preconception period may also influence individual, and inter- and transgenerational health and disease risk, in both men and women. This study aimed to describe knowledge of the DOHaD approach (DOHaDKNOWLEDGE) and diet quality in preconception young adults in Norway, to assess associations between DOHaDKNOWLEDGE and a Diet Quality Score (DQS), and to assess gender differences in those above. Data from 1362 preconception young adults was obtained from the PREPARED study baseline dataset. The sample had 88% women participants, a mean age of 27 years, 36% had overweight or obesity, and 77% had higher level of education. DOHaDKNOWLEDGE was assessed by the participants’ agreement to five statements using a Likert scale. Diet quality was assessed using aspects of diet quality and a DQS derived from a dietary screener. We found moderate level of both DOHaDKNOWLEDGE (12/20 points) and diet quality (DQS: 60/100 points), indicating potential for improvements. Specifically, the greatest potential for diet quality improvements were observed for sugary foods, red and processed meats, legumes, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Gender differences were observed for both DOHaDKNOWLEDGE and diet quality. DOHaDKNOWLEDGE was positively associated with DQS, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, with little evidence of an interaction effect by gender. This study indicates that knowledge of the DOHaD approach is positively associated with diet quality in preconception young men and women. Future studies should consider incorporating pregnancy intentions, relationship status, and health literacy.

The effect of smoking and nicotine exposure during pregnancy on fetal nephrogenesis is a growing area of research. The objective of this systematic review is to summarise the current evidence in this research field. Our literature search identified a total of 415 articles from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane. After electronic sorting and manual screening, 18 eligible articles were found, 6 being human studies and 12 being animal studies. Articles that did not study nicotine or smoking, did not focus on fetal kidney development, or did not include nicotine or smoking exposure during pregnancy were excluded from the systematic review. The main outcomes of the studies were kidney weight, volume and size, kidney histopathology and morphology, and kidney function. Evidence from human studies identified a reduction in fetal kidney size, volume, and weight in offspring exposed to smoking during pregnancy; and the greatest impact was seen in offspring exposed to >5–10 cigarettes per day. Animal studies investigated kidney histopathology and highlighted kidney injury and microscopic changes in response to nicotine exposure during pregnancy. Further research is required to determine the impact on kidney function. Recreational nicotine use is evolving, and with the increasing use of urine cotinine in the evaluation of nicotine exposure, further research is needed.