Dietary patterns during pregnancy have been shown to influence the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, evidence from Asian populations is limited and inconsistent. We conducted a prospective cohort study in China to assess the relationship between dietary patterns and GDM. We administered three-day food diaries (TFD) and food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) at the second trimester. GDM was diagnosed with a 75 g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks of gestation. We identified dietary patterns using principal components analysis and used multivariable logistic regression to investigate associations of dietary patterns with GDM. Of the 1014 participants, 23.5% were diagnosed with GDM. Both the TFD and FFQ identified a “traditional pattern”, consisting of high vegetable, fruit, and rice intake, which was associated with a lower GDM risk (odds ratio (OR) for quartile 4 versus quartile 1: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.23–0.71 for traditional pattern (TFD); OR: 0.44, CI: 0.27–0.70 for traditional pattern (FFQ)). The protective associations were more pronounced among women ≥35 years old. A whole grain–seafood TFD pattern was associated with higher risk of GDM (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.10–2.74). These findings may provide evidence for making dietary guidelines among pregnant women in Chinese populations to prevent GDM.

Studies to examine the associations of gestational weight gain (GWG) with offspring weight status during infancy are needed, especially among Asian populations. We examined 801 mother–infant pairs from a prospective cohort study in China to assess the associations of total and trimester-specific GWG with early infant weight status. We used linear mixed effects models and linear regression models to examine the longitudinal and time-point associations of GWG rate (kg/week) with infant growth measures (z-scores of body-mass-index (BMIZ), weight-for-age (WFAZ) and length-for-age (LFAZ)) at birth, 1, 3, and 6 months. Greater total GWG rate was associated with higher BMIZ (β:1.34 SD units (95% CI: 0.84, 1.83) per 1 kg/week increase in GWG) and higher WFAZ (β:1.18 SD units (95% CI: 1.01, 2.28)) across the first 6 months of life. GWG rate in the first two trimesters but not in the third trimester was positively associated with infant BMIZ. The association between GWG rate and infant BMIZ was significant at all timepoints and more pronounced in normal weight women and among male infants. In conclusion, greater GWG rate is positively associated with offspring BMIZ in the first 6 months of life, the association is mostly driven by GWG in the first two trimesters.

Background: The study aims to use the cross-lagged model and utilize data from the Born in Shenyang Cohort Study to characterize the bidirectional associations of the term-born infants’ neurodevelopment in five domains and physical growth in early life. Method: This study consists of 688 mother-child dyads from the Born in Shenyang Cohort Study. Infants’ anthropometric (weight and length) and development in neurological outcomes (Gesell Development Scale) were measured at the age of 6 and 12 months. Cross-lagged analyses and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the longitudinal relationships in both directions. Results: In terms of longitudinal studies, the inverse associations between infants’ two skills (gross motor and social behavior) at the age of 6 months with BMI Z -scores at the age of 12 months (gross motor: aβ = − 0.20, 95% CI: − 0.31 to- 0.09; social behavior: aβ = − 0.23, 95% CI: − 0.33 to- 0.13) were found. Conversely, a higher infant Z -scored BMI at the age of 6 months predicted a lower gross motor at the age of 12 months (aβ = − 0.08, 95% CI: − 0.12 to- 0.04). In cross-lagged analyses, an adverse association in both directions between gross motor and Z -scored BMI was observed. Conclusion: We found bidirectional relationships between infants’ neurodevelopment of gross motor with physical growth and suggested the term-born infants, who are on the edge of the developmental danger, should not be overlooked.

Introduction: Evidence of the association between children born with marginally low birth weight (MLBW) and obesity-related outcomes was controversial, and our study aimed to examine the role of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or abnormal eating in these associations. Methods: A retrospective cohort study consisting of 677 Chinese children was conducted. Obesity-related outcomes (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], skinfold thickness [SF], body fat, blood pressure, lipids, and blood glucose), behaviour problems (ADHD and eating behaviour) and birth weight were collected. Mediation analyses were used to explore whether ADHD and/or abnormal eating was an intermediary factor in the MLBW-OB relationship. Results: Children with MLBW tended to have higher SF, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, waistline, body fat, and abdominal obesity risks. Birth weight was negatively related to obesity-related outcomes, and the associations were mediated, partially, by the increased risk of ADHD or abnormal eating behaviour after adjustment for the BMI Z score. Furthermore, lower birth weight predicted higher WC indirectly through emotional overeating caused by ADHD (β: −0.10; 95% confidence interval: −0.19, −0.01). Conclusion: Our study suggests the hypothetical role of ADHD and abnormal eating as underlying mechanisms in the association between MLBW and obesity-related outcomes, providing novel scientific evidence for childhood development interventions.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a growing global epidemic. Our study aims to confirm the association between circulatory coiled-coil domain-containing 80 (CCDC80) in pregnant women with GDM, to investigate the discriminatory power of CCDC80 on GDM, and to explore the relationships between this molecular level and clinical cardiometabolic parameters. Methods: A 1:2 matched case-control study with 61 GDM patients and 122 controls was conducted using a propensity score matching protocol. All participants were screened from a multicenter prospective pre-birth cohort: Born in Shenyang Cohort Study (BISCS). During 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, follow-up individuals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and blood sampling for cardiometabolic characterization. Results: Following propensity score matching adjustment for clinical variables, including maternal age, gestational age, body mass index, SBP and DBP, plasma CCDC80 levels were significantly decreased in patients with GDM when compared with controls (0.25 ± 0.10 vs. 0.31 ± 0.12 ng/ml, P = 0.003). Conditional multi-logistic regression analyses after adjustments for potential confounding factors revealed that CCDC80 was a strong and independent protective factor for GDM (ORs < 1). In addition, the results of the ROC analysis indicated the CCDC80 exhibited the capability to identify pregnant women with GDM (AUC = 0.633). Finally, multivariate regression analyses showed that CCDC80 levels were positively associated with AST, monoamine oxidase, complement C1q, LDL-C, apolipoprotein A1and B, and negatively associated with blood glucose levels at 1 h post- OGTT. Conclusions: Biomarker CCDC80 could be of great value for the development of prediction, diagnosis and therapeutic strategies against GDM in pregnant women.

Background Evidence of the association between early life development in neurological and psychiatric with physical growth is controversial, and bidirectional effects have been poorly evaluated. The study aims to use the cross-lagged models and utilize data from the Born in Shenyang Cohort Study to characterize the bidirectional associations of the term-born infants' development in neurological and psychiatric in five domains and physical growth in the early life. Methods This study consists of 688 mother-child dyads from the Born in Shenyang Cohort Study. Infants' anthropometric and development in neurological and psychiatric outcomes were measured twice by the Gesell Development Scale and administered by staff at six and twelve months of age. Cross-lagged analyses and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the longitudinal relationships in both directions. Results In terms of longitudinal studies, the negative associations between gross motor and social behavior at six months with BMI Z -score at twelve months were found (gross motor: aβ=-0.20, 95% CI: -0.31 to- 0.09; social behavior: aβ=-0.23, 95% CI: − 0.33 to- 0.13). Instead, higher infant Z -scored BMI at six months predicted lower gross motor at twelve months (aβ=-0.08, 95% CI: -0.12 to- 0.04). The only bidirectional development in neurological and psychiatric, gross motor, had a more significant impact on infants’ BMI Z -score than the reverse (β=-0.21 vs. β=-0.09; P < 0.001). The similar associations had been found in weight gain velocity. Conclusion We found bidirectional relationships between infants’ gross motor with physical growth and suggested the term-born infants, who are on the edge of the developmental danger, should not be overlooked.