1. Breastfeeding Duration and Weaning Diet May Shape Child’s Body Composition
2. News Media Registration Open for ENDO 09 in Washington, D.C.
3. New Patient Fact Sheet on Congenital Hypothyroidism Available
1. Breastfeeding Duration and Weaning Diet May Shape Child’s Body Composition
Variations in both milk feeding and in the weaning diet are linked to differences in growth and development, and they have independent influences on body composition in early childhood, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Previous studies suggest that the early environment may be a significant factor in childhood obesity. This study used dual x-ray absorptiometry to make direct measures of body composition in children at four years of age whose diets had been assessed when they were infants. The findings showed that children who had been breastfed longer had a lower fat mass which could not be explained by differences in family background or the child’s height.
“Most studies linking infant feeding to later body composition focus on differences in milk feeding, but our study also considered the influence of the weaning diet,” said Dr. Siân Robinson, PhD, of the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and lead author of the study. “We found that, independent of the duration of breastfeeding, children with higher quality weaning diets including fruits, vegetables, and home-prepared foods had a greater lean mass at four years of age.”
In this study, researchers assessed the diets of 536 children at six and 12 months of age. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire that was administered by trained research nurses to record the average frequency of consumption of specific foods. The age at which solid foods were introduced into the infant’s diet was also recorded. In this study ‘weaning’ is defined as the period of transition in infancy between a diet based on milk feeding to one based on solid foods. The subjects’ body composition was assessed at four years by dual X-ray absorptiometry.
“These findings are enlightening,” said Professor Cyrus Cooper, Director of the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre. “An influence of qualitative differences in the weaning diet on childhood body composition had not been described before.”
Other researchers working on the study include Lynne Marriott, Sarah Crozier, Nick Harvey, Catharine Gale, Hazel Inskip, Janis Baird, Keith Godfrey, and Cyrus Cooper of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and Catherine Law of University College London in the United Kingdom. The study was funded by the UK Medical Research Council, University of Southampton, British Heart Foundation and the Food Standards Agency.
The article “Variations in infant feeding practice are associated with body composition in childhood: a prospective cohort study,” will appear in the August 2009 issue of JCEM.
2. News Media Registration Open for ENDO 09 in Washington, D.C.
News conference topics to include latest research on endocrine disruptors, bariatric surgery, obesity, aging and pregnancy & hormone issues
The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting, ENDO 09 will be held at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, June 10-13, 2009. Approximately 7,500 scientists and clinicians from all over the world are expected to assemble for this premier meeting of hormone research, health science, and endocrinology.
Reporter Eligibility
• Working press employed by bona fide news media: must present a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of a recognized publication.
• Freelance writers: must present a current members card from the American Medical Writers Association or the National Association of Science Writers; evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science, health, medicine, or biomedical research intended for the general public and published within the past two years; or a letter of assignment from a recognized publication.
• Public information officers of scientific societies, medical associations, educational institutions, and government agencies: must present a business card.
• Representatives of for-profit corporations and of the business side of news media must register onsite, pay the appropriate fees, and are not accredited as Press at the meeting.
• Researchers and clinicians who are also reporters and who are presenting at this meeting (oral or poster session) may receive news media credentials if they qualify (see above), but must also register for the meeting and pay the appropriate fee as a presenter.
A full program, including press conferences and media activities, is available online at http://www.endo-society.org/endo/media.cfm. Registered news media receive a badge that provides access to all meeting sessions, as well as to the Newsroom and press conferences. No one will be admitted without a valid ENDO badge.
3. New Patient Fact Sheet on Congenital Hypothyroidism Available
The Hormone Foundation has published a bilingual (English and Spanish) patient fact sheet that defines congenital hypothyroidism and explains the importance of early detection and treatment in avoiding the potentially serious effects of this condition. The fact sheet covers possible causes of congenital hypothyroidism, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. It emphasizes the parent’s role in the proper treatment of their child. For more information visit: www.hormone.org.
