Metabolic imprinting refers to the effects of diet during pregnancy and infant feeding on the development of chronic diseases in later life. Increasing evidence suggests that maternal and infant nutrition influence (‘imprint’/’program’) the development of endocrine dysfunctions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, hypertension, cancer, mental functions, food allergy and intolerance.

 

This task force aims to provide insight into the effects of diet and its components on the different phases (critical windows) of metabolic imprinting/programming, particularly with respect to metabolic and immunological disorders, including both disease and health endpoints.

 

The ultimate goal of the task force is to provide a sound scientific framework within which guidelines for overweight or obese pregnant or lactating women can be developed, with potential significance to all overweight and obese women of child-bearing age.

 

The task force is also capitalising on its strong links with other leading researchers in this field, including the EC-funded EURRECA Network of Excellence, as well as EARNEST project and its spin-off ENA (Early Nutrition Academy).

 

To ensure high visibility to the task force work, the outcomes were published in peer-reviewed journals: British Journal of Nutrition (2010) and Pediatric Research (2011). They were also presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and at the World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) in 2009 and 2010. In 2012, the task force will sponsor a speaker at the upcoming ECO, Prof. Michael Symonds, University of Nottingham (UK), who will speak about early origins of adipose tissue.

 

 

Developing preventive approaches in early life requires a full range of data. High quality cohort studies can play an important role in the provision of valuable data, in particular studies that have addressed (or are currently addressing) the effect of early nutritional factors on maternal and child health, particularly the impact of maternal obesity on later maternal and child health outcomes. However, it is essential that these studies meet optimum design and methodological standards if they are to provide good quality data and obtain the confidence of the research community. New knowledge will then be available for policy makers to generate future recommendations for maternal and early-life nutrition in prevention of obesity and complications.

 

Started in January 2011, this activity is focusing on highlighting the nutritional data collected in some cohort studies to maximise the research impact of current studies and to explore new avenues of research. A roundtable workshop with the principal investigators of European birth cohorts was organised on 10-11 October 2011 in Brussels. The workshop reviewed the key pathways, including nutrition, leading to adverse pregnancy and childhood outcomes, particularly in obese pregnant women. Research opportunities arising from prospective mother-offspring cohort studies in Europe and North America were explored.

 

The workshop provided an overview of main measurements needed for sustainable intervention strategies in the mother, infant and child for preventing obesity in later life. Simple measures of weight gain provide insufficient detail of the underlying physiological and metabolic adaptations occurring in pregnancy, and they should be complemented by measures of body composition and metabolic and endocrine responses. With many pregnancies in high BMI women being uncomplicated and resulting in offspring of normal weight, the key determinants of outcome need to be clarified. One critical factor could be maternal physiological adaptation during pregnancy and impact of the placenta on foetal nutrient supply. The conclusions of the workshop are currently collated in a paper addressing how to improve mother-child study designs and make the best use of existing nutritional data, to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal by summer 2012. These conclusions will be also presented as an abstract at ECO 2012.

For more information on the workshop .

 

The Metabolic Imprinting Task Force is involved in the Marker Initiative in Nutrition Research. The aim is to identify consensus markers used in the field of metabolic imprinting and discuss the criteria for their selection as validated markers. For further information, see also the section on the transversal activity - Marker Validation Initiative ‘Step 1’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

B. Hanley, J. Djiane et al. Metabolic Imprinting, Programming and Epigenetics - A Review of Present Priorities and Future Opportunities. British Journal of Nutrition 2011,104 (Suppl.1):S1-S25.

 

L.Poston, L. Harthoorn, and E.M. van der Beek. Obesity in Pregnancy: Implications for the Mother and Lifelong Health of the Child. Pediatric Research 2011,69(2):175-180.

 

Poster on: Metabolic Imprinting, Programming and Epigenetics: A Review of Current Priorities and Future Opportunities

 

Poster on: Obesity in Pregnancy

 

For more information, please contact info@ilsieurope.be