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Background/objectives Adherence to a 'Western' style dietary pattern has been related to behavior problems in children in high-income countries; however, dietary patterns may differ in countries undergoing the nutrition transition. Associations of dietary patterns with behavior problems in a Latin American context have not been evaluated. Subjects/Methods Mothers of 385 children 5 to 12 y old completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) on the children's usual intake at enrollment into a cohort study. Four dietary patterns were identified through principal component analysis of the FFQ: animal protein, snacking, cheaper protein, and traditional/starch. After a median 6 y follow-up, adolescents reported behavior problems via the Youth Self Report, a standardized questionnaire. We compared the continuous distributions of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and their subscales across quartiles of adherence to the four dietary patterns using multivariable linear regression. Results Boys in the highest quartile of adherence to the animal protein pattern in middle childhood had an adjusted 5.5 units lower (95% CI -9.5, -1.5) mean total externalizing problems score compared with boys in the lowest quartile (P trend = 0.008). Adherence to the animal protein pattern was also inversely related to the aggressive behavior externalizing subscale in a dose-response manner among boys (P trend = 0.009). There were no associations between adherence to other dietary patterns and externalizing problems in boys or girls. There were no associations with internalizing problems. Conclusion Adherence to an animal protein dietary pattern in middle childhood was associated with less externalizing behavior problems in adolescent boys., Author(s): Sonia L. Robinson [sup.1] , Mercedes Mora-Plazas [sup.2] , Henry Oliveros [sup.3] , Constanza Marin [sup.3] , Betsy Lozoff [sup.4] , Eduardo Villamor [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of [...]

Background/Objectives The contribution of iron status at birth to iron status in infancy is not known. We used a physiologic framework to evaluate how iron status at birth related to iron status at 9 months, taking iron needs and sources into account. Subjects/Methods In a longitudinal birth cohort in China, iron status measures in cord blood and venous blood in infancy (9 months) and clinical data were prospectively collected in 545 healthy term maternal-infant dyads. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to create a 9-month iron composite and to assess direct and indirect contributions of multiple influences on 9-month iron status. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for iron deficiency (ID), iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and anemia. Results Approximately 15% (78/523) of infants were born with cord SF Conclusions Indicators of iron status at birth, postnatal iron needs, and iron sources independently related to iron status at 9 months. Sex was an additional factor. Public health policies to identify and protect infants at increased risk of ID should be prioritized., Author(s): Jie Shao [sup.1] [sup.2] , Blair Richards [sup.3] , Niko Kaciroti [sup.3] , Bingquan Zhu [sup.1] , Katy M. Clark [sup.3] , Betsy Lozoff [sup.3] [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) [...]

Background/Objectives We sought to determine the associations of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in middle childhood with externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in adolescence. Subjects/Methods Using gas-liquid chromatography, we quantified n-3 and n-6 PUFA in serum samples of 444 Colombian schoolchildren aged 5-12 years at the time of enrollment into a cohort study. After a median 6 years, adolescent externalizing and internalizing behavior problems were determined with the Youth Self Report (YSR) questionnaire. We estimated adjusted mean behavior problem score differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between quartiles of each PUFA using multivariable linear regression. We also considered as exposures the [DELTA]6-desaturase (D6D) and [DELTA]5-desaturase (D5D) enzyme activity indices. Results Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was positively associated with externalizing problems; every standard deviation (SD) of DHA concentration was associated with an adjusted one unit higher externalizing problem score (95% CI: 0.1, 1.9). The D5D enzyme activity index was inversely related to externalizing problem scores. Alpha-linolenic acid concentration was positively associated with internalizing problem scores, whereas adrenic acid was inversely related to this outcome. Conclusions Serum PUFA in middle childhood were related to behavior problems in adolescence. Some of these associations might reflect the role of D5D enzyme activity., Author(s): Sonia L. Robinson [sup.1] , Henry Oliveros [sup.2] , Mercedes Mora-Plazas [sup.3] , Constanza Marín [sup.2] [sup.3] , Betsy Lozoff [sup.4] [sup.5] , Eduardo Villamor [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) [...]