title: Dietary Intakes of Folic Acid and Methionine in Early Childhood Are Associated with Body Composition at School Age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficiency of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folate, folic acid, or methionine may lead to dysregulation of DNA methylation, which might lead to disturbed energy and lipid metabolism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to explore whether intakes of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, folate, folic acid, and methionine at 1 y are associated with measures of growth and body composition at the age of 6 y.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed in 2922 children participating in The Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study. Dietary intakes of vitamins B-6 and B-12, folate, folic acid, and methionine were assessed at a median age of 12.9 mo by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. At the age of 6 y, height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) was calculated. Body fat was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and body fat percentage and the ratio of android fat mass to gynoid fat mass (android:gynoid) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In models adjusted for maternal and child characteristics, children with folic acid intakes in the highest tertile had a 0.16 SD score (SDS) lower weight (95% CI: -0.31, -0.02 SDS) and a 0.14 SDS lower BMI (95% CI: -0.26, -0.01 SDS) than children in the lowest tertile. Children with vitamin B-12 intakes in the highest tertile had a 0.13 SDS higher android:gynoid (95% CI: 0.00, 0.25 SDS) than children in the lowest tertile. In addition, children with intakes in the highest tertile of methionine had a 0.09 SDS higher BMI (95% CI: 0.01, 0.17) and a 0.12 SDS higher android:gynoid (95% CI: 0.02, 0.22) than children in the lowest tertile. Vitamin B-6 and folate intakes were not associated with any of the body composition outcomes measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population of children, early high folic acid intakes were associated with a lower body weight and BMI at the age of 6 y. In contrast, early higher methionine intakes were associated with unfavorable body composition at the age of 6 y. Future studies should investigate long-term consequences of these outcomes on health.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kim V E
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Departments of Epidemiology and trudy.voortman@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Voortman
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and.
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kiefte-de Jong
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Departments of Epidemiology and Paediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; and.
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and.
authors.forename: Edith H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: van den Hooven
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009426:Netherlands; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D008715:Methionine; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: body composition; children; folic acid; methionine; vitamin B-12