Lower intakes of protein, carbohydrate, and energy are associated with increased global DNA methylation in 2‐ to 3‐year‐old urban slum children in Bangladesh

Abstract

Stunting in children is a global public health concern. We investigated how global DNA methylation relates to food intakes, dietary diversity, and development of stunting among 324 children aged 24-36 months in a slum community in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Stunted children (height-for-age z score ˂−2; n = 162) and their ageand sex-matched nonstunted counterparts (height-for-age z score ˃−1; n = 162) were selected by active community surveillance. We studied global DNA methylation, measured as 5-mC% content in whole blood. Dietary intake, anthropometric measurement, and sociodemographic information were obtained. In the multiple linear regression model, increased global DNA methylation level in children was significantly associated with consumption of lower amount of energy, coef: .034 (95% CI [.014, .053]); P = .001, protein, coef: .038 (95% CI [.019, .057]); P = .000, carbohydrate, coef:.027 (95% CI [.008, .047]); P = .006, zinc, coef: .020 (95% CI [.001, .039]); P = .043, total dietary intakes, coef: .020 (95% CI [.001, .039]); P = .043, and intake from plant sources, coef: .028 (95% CI [.009, .047]); P = .005, after adjusting for other covariates.Moreover, higher fruits and vegetables consumption was significantly associated with lower 5-mC% level, coef: −.022 (95% CI [−.041, −.002]); P = .028. Our findings suggest a significant association between low dietary intakes and increased global DNA methylation. We also found increased global DNA methylation in stunted children. To establish the relationship among the macronutrient intakes, global DNA methylation, and stunting, future prospective studies are warranted in resourcepoor settings.

Validation of an interviewer-administered seven-day semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for the dietary assessment of preschool children in rural Bangladesh

“…The children's food intake was measured by interviewing the mothers or caregivers, using a 7-d SQFFQ which was adopted from a national survey and a study in Bangladesh ( 7 , 8 ) . The validity of the nutrient intake measured by the SQFFQ was assessed by comparing to the average intake of the two 24-h DRs as the reference method, administered on non-consecutive weekdays.…”

“…The consumption of processed foods among children has increased over the last decade. We referred to the pretested list of the processed food from the study of Iqbal et al ( 8 ) . The processed foods are ready-to-eat, locally produced, energy-rich, fatty and sugary with poor content of nutrients.…”

“…Selection of foods. The FFQ was adopted from the Bangladesh national micronutrient survey 2011-12 (16) and a recent dietary intake assessment study (8) , and pretested in the study population. The food list considered in the national micronutrient survey was referred from the comprehensive food consumption surveya nationally representative dietary study (17) .…”

“…In rural Bangladesh, the majority of the respondents are functionally illiterate, and thus, the respondent-administered FFQ may introduce a bias while assessing the food and nutrient intakes. To ameliorate these respondent issues, recent epidemiological dietary assessments in Bangladesh used an interviewer-administered, open-ended intake-response seven-day semi-quantitative FFQ (7-d SQFFQ) ( 7 , 8 ) . To date, the FFQ has not been validated.…”

Energy and protein intakes are associated with stunting among preschool children in Central Jakarta, Indonesia: a case-control study

“…Energy deficits occurring in under-five children would cause growth retardation and loss of fat and muscle (Tessema et al, 2018). Case-control studies on children in Iran and Bangladesh have shown a significant relationship between low carbohydrate intake and stunting (Esfarjani et al, 2013;Iqbal et al, 2019). Research has also shown the relationship between children's fat intake and stunting.…”