BackgroundAppetitive traits in childhood such as food responsiveness and enjoyment of food have been associated with body mass index (BMI) in later childhood. However, data on appetitive traits during infancy in relation to BMI in later childhood are sparse. We aimed to relate appetitive traits in infancy to subsequent BMI and weight gain up to 24 months of age.MethodsData of 210 infants from the Singapore GUSTO mother-offspring cohort was obtained. The Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ) and the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) were administered to mothers when their offspring were aged 3 and 12 months respectively. Height and weight of offspring were measured at ages 3, 6, 9,12,15,18 and 24 months. The association of appetitive traits with both BMI z-score and weight gain were evaluated using multivariate linear regression.ResultsFood responsiveness at 3 months was associated with higher BMI from 6 months up to 15 months of age (p < 0.01) and with greater weight gain between 3 and 6 months of age (p = 0.012). Slowness in eating and satiety responsiveness at 3 months was significantly associated with lower BMI at 6 months (p < 0.01) and with less weight gain between 3 to 6 months of age (p = 0.034). None of the appetitive traits at 12 months were significantly associated with BMI or weight gain over any time period.ConclusionEarly assessment of appetitive traits at 3 months of age but not at 12 months of age was associated with BMI and weight gain over the first two years of life.Trial registrationClinical Trials identifier NCT01174875Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-015-0467-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ImportancePhysical and social neighborhood attributes may have implications for children’s growth and development patterns. The extent to which these attributes are associated with body mass index (BMI) trajectories and obesity risk from childhood to adolescence remains understudied.ObjectiveTo examine associations of neighborhood-level measures of opportunity and social vulnerability with trajectories of BMI and obesity risk from birth to adolescence.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study used data from 54 cohorts (20 677 children) participating in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program from January 1, 1995, to January 1, 2022. Participant inclusion required at least 1 geocoded residential address and anthropometric measure (taken at the same time or after the address date) from birth through adolescence. Data were analyzed from February 1 to June 30, 2022.ExposuresCensus tract–level Child Opportunity Index (COI) and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) linked to geocoded residential addresses at birth and in infancy (age range, 0.5-1.5 years), early childhood (age range, 2.0-4.8 years), and mid-childhood (age range, 5.0-9.8 years).Main Outcomes and MeasuresBMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by length [if aged &amp;lt;2 years] or height in meters squared) and obesity (age- and sex-specific BMI ≥95th percentile). Based on nationwide distributions of the COI and SVI, Census tract rankings were grouped into 5 categories: very low (&amp;lt;20th percentile), low (20th percentile to &amp;lt;40th percentile), moderate (40th percentile to &amp;lt;60th percentile), high (60th percentile to &amp;lt;80th percentile), or very high (≥80th percentile) opportunity (COI) or vulnerability (SVI).ResultsAmong 20 677 children, 10 747 (52.0%) were male; 12 463 of 20 105 (62.0%) were White, and 16 036 of 20 333 (78.9%) were non-Hispanic. (Some data for race and ethnicity were missing.) Overall, 29.9% of children in the ECHO program resided in areas with the most advantageous characteristics. For example, at birth, 26.7% of children lived in areas with very high COI, and 25.3% lived in areas with very low SVI; in mid-childhood, 30.6% lived in areas with very high COI and 28.4% lived in areas with very low SVI. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that at every life stage, children who resided in areas with higher COI (vs very low COI) had lower mean BMI trajectories and lower risk of obesity from childhood to adolescence, independent of family sociodemographic and prenatal characteristics. For example, among children with obesity at age 10 years, the risk ratio was 0.21 (95% CI, 0.12-0.34) for very high COI at birth, 0.31 (95% CI, 0.20-0.51) for high COI at birth, 0.46 (95% CI, 0.28-0.74) for moderate COI at birth, and 0.53 (95% CI, 0.32-0.86) for low COI at birth. Similar patterns of findings were observed for children who resided in areas with lower SVI (vs very high SVI). For example, among children with obesity at age 10 years, the risk ratio was 0.17 (95% CI, 0.10-0.30) for very low SVI at birth, 0.20 (95% CI, 0.11-0.35) for low SVI at birth, 0.42 (95% CI, 0.24-0.75) for moderate SVI at birth, and 0.43 (95% CI, 0.24-0.76) for high SVI at birth. For both indices, effect estimates for mean BMI difference and obesity risk were larger at an older age of outcome measurement. In addition, exposure to COI or SVI at birth was associated with the most substantial difference in subsequent mean BMI and risk of obesity compared with exposure at later life stages.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study, residing in higher-opportunity and lower-vulnerability neighborhoods in early life, especially at birth, was associated with a lower mean BMI trajectory and a lower risk of obesity from childhood to adolescence. Future research should clarify whether initiatives or policies that alter specific components of neighborhood environment would be beneficial in preventing excess weight in children.

IMPORTANCE Earlier pubertal onset may be associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. However, the extent to which growth in the first 5 years of life-an important developmental life stage that lays the foundation for later health outcomes-is associated with pubertal onset remains understudied.OBJECTIVE To assess whether changes in weight, length or height, and body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) during the first 5 years of life are associated with earlier pubertal onset.

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Objective: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk for depression, but it remains unclear whether this is a causal relationship or merely a methodological artefact. To compare the effects of consistent abstinence, occasional, moderate, and above-guidelines alcohol consumption throughout early-to-middle adulthood on depression at age 50, the authors conducted a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort and employed a marginal structural model (MSM) approach. Methods: Baseline was set at 1994, when individuals were aged 29-37. The MSM incorporated measurements of alcohol consumption at 1994, 2002, and 2006, baseline and time-varying covariates, and repeated Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale short form (CES-D-SF) measurements. 5,667 eligible participants provided valid data at baseline, with 3,593 of these providing valid outcome data. The authors used all observed data to predict CES-D-SF means and rates of probable depression for hypothetical trajectories of consistent alcohol consumption. Results: Results resembled J-shaped relationships. Specifically, both consistent occasional and consistent moderate drinkers were predicted to have reduced CES-D-SF scores and probable depression at age 50 compared to consistent abstainers (CES-D-SF scores: b=-0.84, CI= -1.47, -.11; probable depression: OR=0.58, CI=0.36, 0.88 for consistent occasional drinkers vs abstainers; CES-D-SF scores: b=-1.08, CI=-1.88, -.20; probable depression: OR=0.59, CI=0.26, 1.13for consistent moderate drinkers vs consistent abstainers). Consistent above-guidelines drinkers were predicted to have slightly increased risk compared to consistent abstainers, but this was not significant (b=0.34, CI=-0.62, 1.25; OR=1.06, CI =0.66, 1.72). In sex-stratified analyses, results were similar for females and males. Conclusions: The present study contributes preliminary evidence that associations between moderate alcohol consumption and reduced risk for depression may be genuine causal effects. Further research using diverse methodologies that promote causal inference is required.

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Importance: Prevention of depressive symptoms and disorders is a key public health priority but requires an improved understanding of modifiable risk and protective factors. A salient unanswered question in this context is whether the apparent protective effect of alcohol against depression may be causal.Objective: To compare the effects of consistent abstinence, occasional, moderate, and heavy alcohol consumption throughout early-to-middle adulthood on depressive symptoms at age 50.Design: This secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) cohort employed a marginal structural model approach in assessing the relationship between alcohol consumption in early-to-middle adulthood (29-37 through 41-49) and depressive symptoms at age 50. Alcohol consumption was based on measurements at 1994, 2002, and 2006, covariates at 1992, 1994, and age 40 (1998-2006), and outcome at age 50 (2008-2016). Setting: The NLSY79 is a nationally representative, population-based cohort study.Participants: 5,667 eligible participants at baseline provided valid data on alcohol consumption, depressive symptoms, and covariates of interest. Exposure: Alcohol consumption was categorised as either abstinence, occasional, moderate, or heavy drinking in 1994, 2002, and 2006.Main Outcome and Measure: Depressive symptoms at age 50 as measured by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale short form (CES-D-SF).Results: Of the 5,667 eligible participants at baseline, 2,862 [50.50%] were female and the mean age was 30.81 [2.24], with 3,593 participants providing valid outcome data for analysis. Results of linear contrasts from marginal structural models were consistent with a J-shaped relationship, where both consistent occasional (b=-0.84, CI= -1.47, -.11) and consistent moderate (b=-1.08, CI=-1.88, -.20) drinkers had significantly reduced predicted CES-D-SF scores at age 50 compared to consistent abstainers. Consistent heavy drinkers were predicted to have increased depressive symptoms, but this was not statistically significant (b=0.34, CI=-0.62, 1.25). In sex-stratified analyses, results were similar for females and males.Conclusions and Relevance: In this secondary analysis of longitudinal data accounting for time-varying exposure and confounding, consistent low-to-moderate alcohol consumption in early-to-middle adulthood predicted lower depressive symptoms at age 50, compared with those abstaining from alcohol. This work offers preliminary evidence that such protective effects may be causal.