Abstract
PurposeHigh protein intake in infancy has been linked to obesity. We aimed to examine the associations of protein intake in early childhood with cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes at school age.MethodsThis study was performed in 2965 children participating in a population-based prospective cohort study. Protein intake at 1 year was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire and was adjusted for energy intake. At the children’s age of 6 years, we measured their body fat percentage (BF%), blood pressure (BP), and insulin, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels. These measures were incorporated into a cardiometabolic risk factor score, using age- and sex-specific SD scores.ResultsIn covariate-adjusted models, higher protein intake was associated with a higher BF%, lower diastolic BP, and lower triglyceride levels. We observed a significant interaction of protein intake with child sex on metabolic outcomes. Stratified analyses showed that protein intake was positively associated with BF% [0.07 SD (95 % CI 0.02; 0.13) per 10 g/day] and insulin levels in girls, but not in boys. In boys, but not in girls, higher protein intake was associated with lower triglyceride levels [−0.12 SD (95 % CI −0.20; −0.04) per 10 g/day] and a lower cardiometabolic risk factor score. Protein intake was not consistently associated with systolic BP or HDL cholesterol levels.ConclusionProtein intake in early childhood was associated with a higher BF% and higher insulin levels at 6 years in girls and with lower triglyceride levels in boys. Further studies are needed to explore these sex differences and to investigate whether the observed changes persist into adulthood.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1026-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Already in childhood, adiposity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance are highly prevalent [1]
We examined the associations of protein intake at the age of 1 year with body fat percentage, insulin levels, blood lipids, and a combined cardiometabolic risk factor score at the age of 6 years in 2965 children participating in a population-based prospective cohort study
Associations between protein intake at age 2 years and other cardiometabolic outcomes were similar to those observed for protein intake at age 1 year, but with wider confidence intervals. This large prospective population-based study suggests that protein intake at the age of 1 year is associated with cardiometabolic health at school age, but that these associations differ by sex
Summary
Adiposity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance are highly prevalent [1]. These cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood have been shown to track to later life and are suggested to predict adult cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [2, 3], highlighting the need to study determinants of cardiometabolic health already in early childhood [4]. Studies in adults suggest beneficial effects of high dietary protein intake on cardiometabolic risk factors, including a lower blood pressure, lower triglyceride levels, and a reduction in body weight [5,6,7].
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