Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Lifestyle and microbiome interaction early adiposity rebound in childr...
Highlights
Coordinator
Definition of new protocols/surveys for the evaluation of the nutritional status across life stages, with attention to maternal-infant dyad in the "first 1000 days"; b) adult population (including physically active people and athletes); and free-living older adults.
Education and training at different levels for i) academic; ii) healthcare professionals; iii) industries; iv) general population to promote models for healthy nutritional schemes (in connection with Spoke 7).
Recommendations for the adoption of adequate healthy dietary patterns a) during the first 1000 days window, b) physically active people, athletes (M36)
Educational modules "for long - life learning” in master courses and continuing medical education (M18)
Public engagement sessions (in connection with spoke 7) in the contest of National Congresses of nutritional societies including SINU, ANSISA, ASAND (M24)
Training courses for company employees (M24)
Childhood obesity is a strong predictor of adult obesity with health and economic consequences for individuals and society. Adiposity rebound (AR) is a rise in the Body Mass Index occurring between 3 and 7 years. Early adiposity rebound (EAR) occurs at a median age of 2 years and predisposes to a later onset of obesity. Recent evidence has explained the impact of prenatal and early postnatal events in promoting obesity risk later in life. Since obesity has been associated with intestinal dysbiosis, we hypothesise that EAR could be related to early microbiome changes due to maternal/lifestyle changes and environmental exposures, which can increase the unhealthy consequences of childhood obesity. The LIMIT project is a prospective cohort study that aims at identifying the longitudinal interplay between infant gut microbiome, infant/maternal lifestyle, and environmental variables, in children. The acquired knowledge may allow the definition of an AR-healthy phenotype.
The study is planned to evaluate 272 consecutive mother-infant pairs at different time points (T0, at delivery; T1, 1 month; T2, 6 months; T3, 12 months; T4, 24 months; T5, 36 months after birth), according to inclusion/exclusion criteria previously described(https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12090809). The variables that will be collected include maternal/infant anthropometric measurements, maternal (Mediterranean dietary model adherence; physical activity level; smoking habits before, during, and after pregnancy, feeding attitude) and infant (feeding/weaning mode; dietary habits, sleeping habits; physical activity level) lifestyle habits, maternal endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDC) exposure and the family environment by means of interview, previously validated questionnaires or adapted questionnaire. Biological samples, including infant stool samples and maternal urine samples at different time points, were collected to assess the infant gut microbiota composition and maternal EDC levels.
[For the LIMIT project, ethical approval is granted by the Ethical Committee of IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia) (protocol number: 0020200/22; accepted: 11/04/2022). The LIMIT protocol is also registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04960670)].
1) LIMIT will enable researchers and healthcare professionals to have a much better understanding of essential biological pathways defining a healthy-AR phenotype based on omics sciences and other lifestyles (e.g., sedentary behaviour, eating habits, screen time, physical activity), environmental and socio-economic factors in the cohort of mother-infant pairs to allow proactive maintenance of well-being and adoption of sustainable dietary model specific to the individual.
2) The healthy phenotype developed in LIMIT will be useful for future projects that promote a healthy lifestyle during the first 1000 days. Besides, it will serve as a control for other phenotypes that are associated with disease (e.g. obesity).
3) LIMIT will develop substantial public awareness campaigns/policies for promoting healthy lifestyles, minimizing unhealthy environmental impact, and addressing health inequities should involve policymakers, private sector partners, medical professionals, and the public at large.
The research investigates how maternal lifestyle factors, including adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and specific food consumption, influence gestational weight gain.
