No abstract

Background: Evidence for the role of food consumption during childhood in the development of b cell autoimmunity is scarce and fragmentary. Objective: We set out to study the associations of longitudinal food consumption in children with the development of advanced b cell autoimmunity. Design: Children with advanced b cell autoimmunity (n = 232) (ie, with repeated positivity for antibodies against islet cells) together with positivity for at least one of the other 3 antibodies analyzed or clinical type 1 diabetes were identified from a prospective birth cohort of 6069 infants with HLA-DQB1-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes who were born in 1996-2004, with the longest follow-up to the age of 11 y. Repeated 3-d food records were completed by the families and daycare personnel. Diabetes-associated autoantibodies and diets were measured at 3-12-mo intervals. Four control subjects, who were matched for birth date, sex, area, and genetic risk, were randomly selected for each case.

The introduction of complementary foods was consecutively done, and with respect to the timing of each food, early introduction of complementary foods may protect against atopic sensitization in childhood, particularly among high-risk children. Less food diversity as already at 3 months of age may increase the risk of atopic sensitization.

Background: Teaching the principles of scientific research in a comprehensive way is important at medical and dental schools. In many countries medical and dental training is not complete until the candidate has presented a diploma thesis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nature, quality, publication pattern and visibility of Finnish medical diploma theses.

No abstract

Background/Objectives: N-3 (omega-3) fatty acids have been reported to decrease the risk for development of b-cell autoimmunity and clinical type I diabetes. We set out to examine whether different serum fatty acids are associated with the development of advanced b-cell autoimmunity in children carrying human leukocyte antigen DQ b-1 (HLA-DQB1)-conferred susceptibility to type I diabetes. Subjects/Methods: Within a cohort, serum total fatty acid composition of 108 children with advanced b-cell autoimmunity and of 216 matched persistently autoantibody-negative controls was analyzed using gas chromatography. Non-fasting serum samples were obtained annually at the ages of 1-6 years. Conditional logistic regression was applied to analyze the associations between advanced b-cell autoimmunity and serum fatty acids. Results: The serum fatty acid profile of myristic acid (odds ratio (OR) 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.00, P ¼ 0.011), pentadecanoic acid (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.19-2.28, P ¼ 0.003), palmitoleic acid isomers 16:1 n-7 (omega-7) (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.03-1.92, P ¼ 0.030) and 16:1 n-9 (omega-9) (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.05-2.01, P ¼ 0.026) and conjugated linoleic acid (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.16-2.41, P ¼ 0.006) closest to the time of the appearance of multiple autoantibodies were positively associated with the risk of advanced b-cell autoimmunity after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Serum linoleic acid showed inverse, marginal association with the end point. Conclusions: Serum biomarkers of milk and ruminant meat fat consumption are directly associated and linoleic acid is inversely associated with advanced b-cell autoimmunity in children with HLA-conferred susceptibility to type I diabetes.

Early introduction of root vegetables during infancy is independently associated with increased risk of ß-cell autoimmunity among Finnish children with increased genetic susceptibility to Type 1 diabetes.

Summary Background Maternal diet during pregnancy may contribute to the risk of offspring adiposity. Objectives The objective of the study is to explore the associations between maternal antenatal dietary fatty acid intake and the risk of offspring overweight and obesity at the ages of 2 to 7 years. Methods In a prospective Finnish birth cohort with 3807 mother–child pairs, maternal diet in late pregnancy was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Intakes of total fatty acids and individual saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were calculated. Generalized estimating equation models were used to study the associations of maternal dietary variables with repeatedly measured offspring overweight and obesity. Results In girls, maternal intake ratio of n‐6:n‐3 PUFAs had a U‐shaped association with obesity (adjusted OR for the lowest 2.0 [95% CI 1.27–3.20] and the highest 1.7 [1.03–2.73] vs. the two middle quartiles of n‐6:n‐3 PUFAs, p = 0.01). In boys, arachidonic acid (20:4n‐6): docosahexaenoic acid + eicosapentaenoic acid ratio was associated with obesity (adjusted OR for the lowest 1.0 [0.60–1.57] and the highest 0.5 [0.26–0.88] vs. the two middle quartiles, p = 0.02). Saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were not associated with overweight or obesity in either sex. Conclusions Maternal intakes of PUFAs in late pregnancy were associated with risk of later obesity differently in girls and boys.