Wholegrain intake, growth and metabolic markers in Danish infants and toddlers: a longitudinal study

Marie Terese Barlebo Madsen*, Anja P Biltoft-Jensen, Ellen Trolle, Lotte Lauritzen, Kim F. Michaelsen, Camilla Trab Damsgaard

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: Wholegrain intake is linked to lower risk of lifestyle diseases, but little is known about its role in growth and metabolic health during the first years of life. We characterized wholegrain and dietary fibre intake in 439 Danish children at 9 and 36 months of age and explored associations with height z-scores (HAZ), body mass index z-scores (BMIZ) and metabolic markers.

Methods: We used pooled data from two infant cohorts and estimated intakes of total wholegrain, dietary fibre and wholegrain subtypes from 7-day dietary records. Associations with HAZ, BMIZ and non-fasting plasma low-density (LDLC) and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, insulin and glucose were analysed in mixed models, adjusted for potential confounders.

Results: Median (25th, 75th percentile) wholegrain intake was 7.5 (4.9, 10.5) and 6.5 (4.6, 9.0) g/MJ at 9 and 36 months. Neither wholegrain nor dietary fibre intake were associated with HAZ (P ≥ 0.09). At 36 months, wholegrain intake was inversely associated with LDLC (P = 0.05) and directly with glucose (P < 0.001). In secondary analyses, wholegrain rye was inversely associated with glucose at 9 months and insulin at 36 months (both P ≤ 0.03). Oat and wheat wholegrain were directly associated with glucose (both P ≤ 0.01) and wheat with BMIZ (P = 0.02) at 36 months.

Conclusion: Danish infants and toddlers have high intakes of wholegrain and dietary fibre, with no indication of compromised growth. In line with studies in adults, wholegrain intake was inversely associated with LDLC. The observed direct association between wholegrain intake and plasma glucose and associations with wholegrain subtypes should be investigated further.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Nutrition
Volume61
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)3545-3557
Number of pages13
ISSN1436-6207
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.

Keywords

  • Faculty of Science
  • Dietary fibre
  • Young children
  • Cholesterol
  • Insulin
  • Biomarkers
  • Linear growth

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