'Development and evaluation of biomarkers of infant nutrition, growth and body composition'
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Paediatrics
Abstract
We know that not only the conditions babies experience in the womb (in-utero) but also their nutrition in early life affects their growth and influences later childhood and adult weight gain. We aim to look for early markers of different babies‘ growth and body composition, reflecting in-utero exposures and nutrition after birth. Our project aims to identify these markers in blood. We will use different methods to look for these markers, including standard hormonal assay techniques, and newer methods looking at metabolic pathways.
The project will use data from babies in the Cambridge Baby Growth Study cohort, (2001-2008). These babies have had several growth measurements taken, including weight, height and skinfold thicknesses, up until 2 years of age. Many of them have had blood taken, which we can use and match to different growth patterns. We will also aim to recruit new babies, focussing on those born to mothers with Diabetes.
Understanding the markers of babies‘ growth will have great scientific and public implications, focussing on improving the health outcomes for the population. It will identify and predict how babies grow, risks for later obesity and the possibility of adapting early nutrition and feeding patterns in those at high risk.
The project will use data from babies in the Cambridge Baby Growth Study cohort, (2001-2008). These babies have had several growth measurements taken, including weight, height and skinfold thicknesses, up until 2 years of age. Many of them have had blood taken, which we can use and match to different growth patterns. We will also aim to recruit new babies, focussing on those born to mothers with Diabetes.
Understanding the markers of babies‘ growth will have great scientific and public implications, focussing on improving the health outcomes for the population. It will identify and predict how babies grow, risks for later obesity and the possibility of adapting early nutrition and feeding patterns in those at high risk.
Technical Summary
This project aims to identify, validate and use novel and emerging biomarkers of early infant nutrition, growth and body composition. The objectives are to develop and evaluate biomarker assays, identify relationships between these potential biomarkers and patterns of infant growth and nutritional intake, and to recruit a new cohort subset with high-risk patterns of infant growth.
It is known that the intrauterine environment but also early nutritional factors influence infant growth and predispose to later obesity and metabolic risk. It is hypothesised that biomarkers exist, which reflect infant growth and nutrition, for example Ong et al (2009) found that higher IGF-1 levels in formula-fed babies correlated with greater statural growth. However, they concluded that other hormones were likely to be implicated in the development of increased adiposity.
We will begin by using data from the prospective Cambridge Baby Growth Study (CBGS) cohort, focussing on those showing rapid ‘catch up‘ and ‘catch down‘ growth. This large, population based cohort, recruiting newborns between 2001 and 2008, examines the prenatal and postnatal determinants of early growth, with anthropometric measurements, including body weight, length and skinfold thicknesses. Many of the babies have also had blood-spot samples taken. Blood will be analysed for novel biomarkers. We will develop assays, focussing on hormonal biomarkers, such as leptin, adiponectin and C-peptide. This will predominately be carried out in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Cambridge. Work will also be done at the WellChild Laboratory (St Thomas‘ Hospital, London), using mass spectrometry to pilot whether a specific metabolite/metabolomic or protein/proteomic profile can discriminate between different extremes of body composition.
We will enhance the CBGS, with recruitment of babies born to mothers with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, collecting the same comprehensive demographic, anthropometric and nutritional data, and blood spot samples.
Understanding biomarkers of infant nutrition and body composition will have great scientific value, identifying and predicting risk factors for later adiposity and adult disease. This will then allow us to develop early targeted dietary or other interventions to high risk infants. There are large public health implications, for the health outcomes of the population, and this research fits in with MRC research priorities: living a long and healthy life, and obesity research and methodology development.
It is known that the intrauterine environment but also early nutritional factors influence infant growth and predispose to later obesity and metabolic risk. It is hypothesised that biomarkers exist, which reflect infant growth and nutrition, for example Ong et al (2009) found that higher IGF-1 levels in formula-fed babies correlated with greater statural growth. However, they concluded that other hormones were likely to be implicated in the development of increased adiposity.
We will begin by using data from the prospective Cambridge Baby Growth Study (CBGS) cohort, focussing on those showing rapid ‘catch up‘ and ‘catch down‘ growth. This large, population based cohort, recruiting newborns between 2001 and 2008, examines the prenatal and postnatal determinants of early growth, with anthropometric measurements, including body weight, length and skinfold thicknesses. Many of the babies have also had blood-spot samples taken. Blood will be analysed for novel biomarkers. We will develop assays, focussing on hormonal biomarkers, such as leptin, adiponectin and C-peptide. This will predominately be carried out in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Cambridge. Work will also be done at the WellChild Laboratory (St Thomas‘ Hospital, London), using mass spectrometry to pilot whether a specific metabolite/metabolomic or protein/proteomic profile can discriminate between different extremes of body composition.
We will enhance the CBGS, with recruitment of babies born to mothers with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, collecting the same comprehensive demographic, anthropometric and nutritional data, and blood spot samples.
Understanding biomarkers of infant nutrition and body composition will have great scientific value, identifying and predicting risk factors for later adiposity and adult disease. This will then allow us to develop early targeted dietary or other interventions to high risk infants. There are large public health implications, for the health outcomes of the population, and this research fits in with MRC research priorities: living a long and healthy life, and obesity research and methodology development.