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Every third child in Croatia is classed as overweight or obese. Infant growth can represent early warning signs for obesity. To detect early risk factors for obesity by investigating infant size and early growth trajectories and their association with maternal lifestyle and breastfeeding. Ninety-eight mother–child pairs from the Croatian Islands' Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) cohort were included in the study. Data were collected from questionnaires and medical records. Growth data were converted to Z-scores using World Health Organisation (WHO) standards and used as the primary outcome. Z-score trajectories in the first year of life were in line with WHO standards. A direct link between infant size and maternal socioeconomic status (SES) or breastfeeding was not detected. However, child weight gain in the first 6 months was associated with maternal body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy (p < 0.01). A positive association was also established between breastfeeding and maternal SES and mothers that report an unhealthy diet have heavier children (p < 0.05, respectively). Infant size and early growth in Croatia is in line with WHO standards and risk factors for obesity development were detectable in the first year of life, but not highly pronounced. However, more effective BMI monitoring and promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle of women before and during pregnancy is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are significant risk factors for maternal and neonatal health. To assess pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG during pregnancy and their association with different maternal and neonatal characteristics in the transitional Mediterranean population from the Eastern Adriatic islands. Two hundred and sixty-two mother–child dyads from the CRoatian Islands' Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) were included in the study. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were used to test the association between selected characteristics. In total, 22% of women entered pregnancy as overweight/obese and 46.6% had excessive GWG. Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were significantly associated with elevated triglycerides uric acid levels, and decreased HDL cholesterol in pregnancy. Excessive GWG was associated with elevated fibrinogen and lipoprotein A levels. Women with high pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG values were more likely to give birth to babies that were large for gestational age (LGA), additionally confirmed in the multiple logistic regression model. High maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG were both significantly associated with deviated biochemical parameters and neonatal size. More careful monitoring of maternal nutritional status can lead to better pre- and perinatal maternal healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims were to investigate determinants of the quality of life (QoL) of pregnant women. Total of 302 healthy women 18 to 28 weeks of gestation participated in prospective study. WHOQOL-bref, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the perceived stress appraisals were administered. Various patterns of predictors for four domains of QoL were identified, for psychological (42% variance explained), social relationship (29%), environmental (29%) and physical health (25%). Depression and hope, together with the extent to which one's health is influenced by powerful other or chance should be targeted in health promotion strategies during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many Croatian islands are examples of genetic isolates, with low level of heterozygosity and high level of inbreeding, due to practice of endogamy. Aim: The aim was to study the genetic structure of two insular and one mainland population through high-resolution phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Subjects and methods: MtDNA polymorphisms were explored in 300 unrelated individuals from Mljet, Lastovo and the coastal city of Dubrovnik, based on SNP polymorphisms. Results: All mtDNA haplogroups found in the sample were of typical European origin. However, the frequency distribution of their subclades differed significantly from other Croatian and European populations. MtDNA haplotype analysis revealed only two possible founder lineages on Mljet and six on Lastovo, accounting for almost half of the sample on both islands. The island of Mljet also has the lowest reported haplotype and nucleotide diversity among Croatian isolates and the island of Lastovo, a new sublineage of a usually quite rare U1b clade. Conclusion: The results can be explained by the effect evolutionary forces have on genetic structure, which is in line with the specific demographic histories of the islands. An additional research value of these two island isolates is the appearance of certain Mendelian disorders, highlighting their importance in epidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]