Tor A Strand1, Manjeswori Ulak2, Ingrid Kvestad3, Sigrun Henjum4, Arve Ulvik5,6, Merina Shrestha2, Andrew L Thorne-Lyman7,8,9, Per M Ueland10, Prakash S Shrestha2, Ram K Chandyo2. 1. The Center for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. tors@me.com. 2. Department of Child Health, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. 3. Regional Center for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, West, Uni Research Health, Bergen, Norway. 4. Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway. 5. Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 6. Bevital AS, Bergen, Norway. 7. Johns Hopkins Center for Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. 8. WorldFish, P.O. Box 500 GPO, 10670, Penang, Malaysia. 9. Departments of Global Health and Population, Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 10. Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Many children worldwide have poor vitamin B12 status. The objective of this study was to estimate association between maternal and infant vitamin B12 status and long-term growth. METHODS: We randomly selected 500 Nepali mother-infant pairs and measured maternal intake and infant and maternal vitamin B12 status using plasma cobalamin, total plasma homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid concentrations. We revisited available children when they were 5 years old and measured growth. The associations between intake and maternal and infant markers of vitamin B12 and growth were estimated in multiple linear regression models adjusting for relevant confounders (n = 331). RESULTS: Maternal vitamin B12 intake and status and vitamin B12 status in infancy predicted linear growth at 5 years of age, but not during infancy. Each microgram increase in the vitamin B12 intake of the mother during infancy was associated with an increase in height of 0.4 (0.2, 0.6) height-for-age z-scores and 1.7 (0.7, 2.7) cm around the child's fifth birthday. CONCLUSION: Vitamin B12 status and intake in early life is an important determinant for linear growth at school age. Our findings should be verified in randomized, placebo controlled trials before translated into public health recommendations.
BACKGROUND: Many children worldwide have poor vitamin B12 status. The objective of this study was to estimate association between maternal and infant vitamin B12 status and long-term growth. METHODS: We randomly selected 500 Nepali mother-infant pairs and measured maternal intake and infant and maternal vitamin B12 status using plasma cobalamin, total plasma homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid concentrations. We revisited available children when they were 5 years old and measured growth. The associations between intake and maternal and infant markers of vitamin B12 and growth were estimated in multiple linear regression models adjusting for relevant confounders (n = 331). RESULTS: Maternal vitamin B12 intake and status and vitamin B12 status in infancy predicted linear growth at 5 years of age, but not during infancy. Each microgram increase in the vitamin B12 intake of the mother during infancy was associated with an increase in height of 0.4 (0.2, 0.6) height-for-age z-scores and 1.7 (0.7, 2.7) cm around the child's fifth birthday. CONCLUSION: Vitamin B12 status and intake in early life is an important determinant for linear growth at school age. Our findings should be verified in randomized, placebo controlled trials before translated into public health recommendations.
Authors: Beate S Solvik; Tor A Strand; Ingrid Kvestad; Maria W Markhus; Per M Ueland; Adrian McCann; Jannike Øyen Journal: J Nutr Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 4.798
Authors: Tor A Strand; Manjeswori Ulak; Mari Hysing; Suman Ranjitkar; Ingrid Kvestad; Merina Shrestha; Per M Ueland; Adrian McCann; Prakash S Shrestha; Laxman S Shrestha; Ram K Chandyo Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2020-12-01 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Catherine Schwinger; Shakun Sharma; Ram K Chandyo; Mari Hysing; Ingrid Kvestad; Manjeswori Ulak; Suman Ranjitkar; Merina Shrestha; Laxman P Shrestha; Adrian McCann; Per M Ueland; Tor A Strand Journal: J Nutr Sci Date: 2021-08-09