Repository logo
 

Metabolomics in early life and the association with body composition at age 2 years

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

van Beijsterveldt, Inge A.L.P.  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0204-7430
Snowden, Stuart G. 
Myers, Pernille Neve 
de Fluiter, Kirsten S.  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5848-7929
van de Heijning, Bert 

Abstract

Summary: Background and Objectives: Early life is a critical window for adiposity programming. Metabolic‐profile in early life may reflect this programming and correlate with later life adiposity. We investigated if metabolic‐profile at 3 months of age is predictive for body composition at 2 years and if there are differences between boys and girls and between infant feeding types. Methods: In 318 healthy term‐born infants, we determined body composition with skinfold measurements and abdominal ultrasound at 3 months and 2 years of age. High‐throughput‐metabolic‐profiling was performed on 3‐month‐blood‐samples. Using random‐forest‐machine‐learning‐models, we studied if the metabolic‐profile at 3 months can predict body composition outcomes at 2 years of age. Results: Plasma metabolite‐profile at 3 months was found to predict body composition at 2 years, based on truncal: peripheral‐fat‐skinfold‐ratio (T:P‐ratio), with a predictive value of 75.8%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 50%. Predictive value was higher in boys (Q2 = 0.322) than girls (Q2 = 0.117). Of the 15 metabolite variables most strongly associated with T:P‐ratio, 11 were also associated with visceral fat at 2 years of age. Conclusion: Several plasma metabolites (LysoPC(22:2), dimethylarginine and others) at 3 months associate with body composition outcome at 2 years. These results highlight the importance of the first months of life for adiposity programming.

Description

Funder: Danone Nutricia Research; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100015766

Keywords

ORIGINAL RESEARCH, adiposity, body composition, infants, metabolomics, skinfolds

Journal Title

Pediatric Obesity

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2047-6302
2047-6310

Volume Title

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Sponsorship
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/P028195/1)
EU Commission ‐ JPI HDHL program (696295)
Innovationsfonden (4203‐00005B)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00006/2)
NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (146281)
ZonMw (529051013)