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Nutrient Intakes in Early Life and Risk of Obesity
Marie Françoise Rolland-Cachera1, Mouna Akrout2, Sandrine Péneau3
1Université Paris 13, Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny F-93017, France. mf.cachera@uren.smbh.univ-paris13.fr.
Summary
Early life environmental factors, especially nutrition during the first 1000 days, significantly impact long-term health. Nutritional programming in infancy may explain the rise in childhood obesity and adult diseases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Environmental factors in early life are increasingly linked to adult health outcomes.
- Early adiposity rebound in obese individuals suggests critical developmental periods for body fat accumulation.
- The first 1000 days, encompassing pregnancy and early infancy, are sensitive to environmental influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the long-term health implications of early life environmental exposures.
- To investigate the role of nutritional programming in early childhood on the development of obesity and related adult diseases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of birth weight, growth velocity, and body mass index (BMI) trajectories.
- Review of evidence linking early nutritional patterns to later health outcomes.
- Examination of the concept of metabolic programming through early nutrition.
Main Results:
- Early life environmental conditions, particularly nutrition, significantly influence body mass index (BMI) trajectories.
- Specific dietary patterns in early childhood, such as high protein-low fat diets, may contribute to rising childhood obesity rates.
- Metabolic programming by early nutrition is a plausible mechanism for adult-onset diseases.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors during the first 1000 days are critical determinants of long-term health.
- Early nutrition plays a key role in metabolic programming, influencing the risk of obesity and adult diseases.
- Understanding and optimizing early life nutrition is crucial for public health strategies to combat obesity.
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