Michael A. Zulyniak

Objectives To investigate the influence of maternal mid-pregnancy metabolomic profiles on offspring anthropometric growth trajectories (weight, length/height, and BMI) across the first 36 months of life in a multi-ethnic birth cohort. Methods This longitudinal study analyzed 1423 mother-child pairs from the Born in Bradford cohort. Using NMR, 147 metabolites were quantified in maternal fasting blood samples collected at 26–28 weeks of gestation. Children’s growth trajectories for weight, length/height, and BMI across 0–36 months of life were modeled using latent class growth mixture models. Partial least squares discriminant analysis identified key maternal metabolites distinguishing growth trajectories, followed by linear mixed-effects regression examining associations with WHO growth z-scores adjusted for a minimal set of covariates (ethnicity and gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM). Results Three distinct growth trajectories were identified for each anthropometric measure: normative, intermediate, and non-uniform (accelerated for weight and BMI or faltered for length/height). For each growth trajectory, between 30 and 41 metabolites were required to differentiate between trajectories within each anthropometric measure. Fourteen lipoprotein subclasses were required across weight, length/height, and BMI, with an additional 16 to 31 metabolites required in one or two trajectories. Numerous associations between metabolite levels and change in z-score anrthropometric measures were observed and validated within each growth trajectory (−0.47 to 1.5 for weight; −0.87 to 2.2 for height/length; and −0.85 to 1.8 for BMI; P < 0.05) per unit change in metabolite. South Asian ethnicity and GDM were associated with lower z-scores (−0.214 to −0.212 and −0.044 to −0.041 for weight; −0.061 to −0.045 and −0.104 to −0.101 for length/height; and −0.157 to −0.182 and −0.083 to −0.071 for BMI, respectively). Conclusions Metabolomic profiles in mid-pregnancy, especially lipoproteins, characterize observed offspring growth in different directions and/or strengths in various growth trajectories from birth to 36 months of age.

Background:The relationship between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) intake and colorectal cancer risk is unclear. Blood n-3 PUFA concentration is a biomarker of dietary n-3 PUFA intake. We examined the relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA concentrations and colorectal cancer risk in UK Biobank (UKBB) participants.Methods:We analyzed the relationship between tertiles (T) of plasma total n-3 PUFAs and n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels, and overall colorectal cancer (also stratified by tumor location and sex) risk. Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for clinical covariates. Nonlinearity was tested by restricted cubic splines.Results:There were 2,602 incident colorectal cancer cases in 234,598 UKBB participants with baseline plasma fatty acid data (mean follow-up 13.4 years). There was an inverse association between the plasma total n-3 PUFA level [T2 HR = 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.97) compared with the T1 reference; T3 = 0.91 (0.83–1.00)], as well as the plasma DHA concentration [T2 = 0.89 (0.80–0.98); T3 = 0.91 (0.82–1.00)], and colorectal cancer risk. The relationship was nonlinear [P for nonlinearity = 0.14 (total n-3 PUFAs) and 0.008 (DHA)], with a plateau effect at the highest n-3 PUFA concentrations. The relationship was more pronounced for proximal colon cancer [T2 = 0.82 (0.69–0.97); T3 = 0.76 (0.64–0.90) for DHA] and was evident for males [T2 = 0.84 (0.74–0.95); T3 = 0.89 (0.78–1.00)], but not for females.Conclusions:Higher plasma n-3 PUFAs are associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk in the UKBB.Impact:Nonlinearity, as well as tumor site and sex specificities, of the inverse relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA levels and colorectal cancer risk, if confirmed in other diverse populations, has significant implications for nutritional prevention guidelines.

Supplementary Figure 1 demonstrates the relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA levels and overall CRC risk in the population excluding individuals who reported fish oil supplement use

Supplementary Table 2 compares participants with and without colorectal cancer after exclusion of participants who reported fish oil supplement use

Supplementary Figure 2 shows restricted cubic splines for the relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA readouts and colorectal cancer in different anatomical locations

Supplementary Figure 3 shows restricted cubic splines for the relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA readouts and overall colorectal cancer risk for males and females separately

Supplementary Table 1 compares study participants with individuals excluded from the analysis

Aims: Our study aimed to derive and validate a diet risk score for clinical use in Nigeria to screen for hypertension risk and evaluate its association against a panel of cardiovascular biomarkers.Methods: The Nigerian dietary screening tool was used to collect dietary intake data from 151 participants visiting the River State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, for routine medical care. Blood samples were collected from a subsample (n = 94) for biomarker assessment. Multiple logistic regression was used to derive the Nigerian diet risk score for hypertension. Internal validation of the Nigerian diet risk score for hypertension was performed using measures of discrimination and calibration. Mediation analysis was used to evaluate the biomarker‐mediated effects of the diet risk score for hypertension on hypertension. All statistical analyses were performed in R.Results: Each one‐point increment in Nigerian diet risk score (on a scale of 0 to 30) was associated with a twofold increase in odds of hypertension (odds ratio: 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16, 3.58, p = 0.01), with the highest score associated with >18‐fold increased odds of hypertension, compared to lowest Nigerian diet risk score for hypertension. The score demonstrated good discrimination (area under the curve: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.80, 1.00) with a high sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.94). Additionally, mediation analysis suggested that the association between Nigerian diet risk score for hypertension and blood pressure is partly explained by shared biological pathways that mediate cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL‐C, CRP and homocysteine levels.Conclusion: The resulting Nigerian diet risk score for hypertension is a valuable tool for clinicians to identify individuals at risk of hypertension, and will advance community efforts in the prevention and management of hypertension in Nigeria.

Background: The relationship between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) intake and colorectal cancer risk is unclear. Blood n-3 PUFA concentration is a biomarker of dietary n-3 PUFA intake. We examined the relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA concentrations and colorectal cancer risk in UK Biobank (UKBB) participants. Methods: We analyzed the relationship between tertiles (T) of plasma total n-3 PUFAs and n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels, and overall colorectal cancer (also stratified by tumor location and sex) risk. Cox proportional hazards regression models were adjusted for clinical covariates. Nonlinearity was tested by restricted cubic splines. Results: There were 2,602 incident colorectal cancer cases in 234,598 UKBB participants with baseline plasma fatty acid data (mean follow-up 13.4 years). There was an inverse association between the plasma total n-3 PUFA level [T2 HR = 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.97) compared with the T1 reference; T3 = 0.91 (0.83–1.00)], as well as the plasma DHA concentration [T2 = 0.89 (0.80–0.98); T3 = 0.91 (0.82–1.00)], and colorectal cancer risk. The relationship was nonlinear [P for nonlinearity = 0.14 (total n-3 PUFAs) and 0.008 (DHA)], with a plateau effect at the highest n-3 PUFA concentrations. The relationship was more pronounced for proximal colon cancer [T2 = 0.82 (0.69–0.97); T3 = 0.76 (0.64–0.90) for DHA] and was evident for males [T2 = 0.84 (0.74–0.95); T3 = 0.89 (0.78–1.00)], but not for females. Conclusions: Higher plasma n-3 PUFAs are associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk in the UKBB. Impact: Nonlinearity, as well as tumor site and sex specificities, of the inverse relationship between plasma n-3 PUFA levels and colorectal cancer risk, if confirmed in other diverse populations, has significant implications for nutritional prevention guidelines.