Background
Rapid development and westernisation in Kuwait and other Gulf states have been accompanied by rising rates of obesity, diabetes, asthma, and other chronic conditions. Prenatal experiences and exposures may be important targets for intervention. We undertook a prospective pregnancy–birth cohort study in Kuwait, the TRansgenerational Assessment of Children’s Environmental Risk (TRACER) Study, to examine prenatal risk factors for early childhood obesity. This article describes the methodology and results of follow-up through birth.
Methods
Women were recruited at antenatal clinical visits. Interviewers administered questionnaires during the pregnancy and collected and banked biological samples. Children are being followed up with quarterly maternal interviews, annual anthropometric measurements, and periodic collection of biosamples. Frequencies of birth outcomes (i.e. stillbirth, preterm birth, small and large for gestational age, and macrosomia) were calculated as a function of maternal characteristics and behaviours.
Results
Two thousand four hundred seventy-eight women were enrolled, and 2254 women were followed to delivery. Overall, frequencies of stillbirth (0.6%), preterm birth (9.3%), and small for gestational age (7.4%) were comparable to other developed countries, but not strongly associated with maternal characteristics or behaviours. Macrosomia (6.1%) and large for gestational age (23.0%) were higher than expected and positively associated with pre-pregnancy maternal overweight/obesity.
Conclusions
A large birth cohort has been established in Kuwait. The collected risk factors and banked biosamples will allow examination of the effects of prenatal exposures on the development of chronic disease in children. Initial results suggest that maternal overweight/obesity before pregnancy should be targeted to prevent macrosomia and its associated sequelae of childhood overweight/obesity.
Background: Rates of diabetes in Kuwait are among the highest in the world. Aims: To inform prevention initiatives, this study assessed diabetes knowledge, attitudes towards it, and personal behaviour relating to risk factors among the Kuwaiti population. Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices survey of 1124 people was performed between July and September 2015. Descriptive analysis and χ2 tests were performed. Results: Although most participants (94%) had heard of diabetes and 87% believed type 2 diabetes to be preventable, knowledge of risk factors was poor [family history (87%), age (44%), low exercise (10%), obesity (4%), diet (0%) and stress (0%)]. Dietary patterns in Kuwait were variable and, of concern, 42% of those with diabetes had been eating more since diagnosis. Lifestyle, particularly among Kuwaitis and people with diabetes, was sedentary-47% of participants walked < 20 minutes per day. Conclusions: Despite the importance of diet and exercise for diabetes prevention, significant gaps in public education clearly exist. At a policy level, much remains to be done and intensified intersectoral programmes are required to improve public awareness.
In Kuwait where the prevalence of both obesity and type 2 diabetes is growing rapidly, the public health role of breast-feeding must be recognised and acted upon more than it has in the past.
Egyptian blue (CaCuSi4O10) is exfoliated into 2D nanosheets of high monodispersity down to monolayers by a mild surfactant-assisted procedure. These nanosheets are fluorescent in the near infrared (NIR) and useful for (bio)photonics.
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