scholarly journals Early diet and growth: impact on ageing

2002 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Aihie Sayer* ◽  
C. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Nutritional Intervention ◽  
The Body ◽  
Diet Restriction ◽  
Poor Growth ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Nutritional Influences ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Inadequate Nutrition

The modification of ageing by nutritional intervention is well recognised. Post-weaning diet restriction is the only widely reproducible method to slow ageing, but the effects of prenatal and preweaning diet restriction have been less well characterised. There is some evidence that diet restriction instituted in utero or shortly after birth may have an opposite effect and be associated with increased ageing, and recent work suggests that it may shorten lifespan. Interest in this area has been rekindled by the growing body of epidemiological evidence showing that a number of age-related diseases are associated with poor growth and inadequate nutrition in early life. The relevance of this association to structural and functional ageing changes in different systems is now being considered. Work on musculo-skeletal ageing has demonstrated that loss of muscle strength and bone mass is greater in individuals who did not grow well in early life, and a range of studies suggests that maternal, developmental and nutritional factors are important. The underlying mechanisms remain speculative, and it remains to be determined whether they are system-specific or universal throughout the body. A new cohort of subjects aged between 60 and 70 years is being established to investigate how genetic factors interact with growth and nutritional influences to programme musculo-skeletal ageing in later life.

scholarly journals Association between birth weight and risk of overweight at adulthood in Labrador dogs

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243820
Author(s):  
Amélie Mugnier ◽  
Anthony Morin ◽  
Fanny Cellard ◽  
Loïc Devaux ◽  
Magalie Delmas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
P Value ◽  
Weight Growth ◽  
Canine Population ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Several studies in humans indicate that low birth weight predisposes individuals to obesity in later life. Despite the constant increase in prevalence of obesity in the canine population and the major health consequences of this affection, few investigations have been carried out on the association between birth weight and the development of overweight in dogs. The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between birth weight and some other neonatal characteristics and overweight at adulthood in a population of purebred Labrador dogs. Information was collected about the sex, age, neuter status, birth weight, and growth rates (between 0–2 days and 2–15 days of age) in 93 Labrador dogs raised under similar environmental conditions until two months old. The body condition scores (BCS, scale of 1–9) of these dogs at adulthood were recorded, with BCS equal to or greater than 6 classified as overweight. Dogs were split into two groups based on the median birth weight in the population: lower than the median (LTM) and higher than the median (HTM). A logistic regression model was applied to analyse associations between the general characteristics of the dogs (sex, age, neuter status), early life parameters (birth weight, growth rates) and overweight at adulthood. Birth weight was the only early-life parameter found to be associated with overweight (p value = 0.032) with a prevalence of overweight of 70% among the dogs with LTM birth weight vs. 47% in dogs born with HTM birth weight. Overweight was also associated with age and neuter status (p value = 0.029 and 0.005 respectively). Our results suggest that, as in humans, dogs with the lowest birth weights are more likely to become overweight at adulthood. More studies are needed to further examine this relationship and to explore the underlying mechanisms. A subsequent objective could be to identify preventive strategies such as an adapted early nutrition programme for at-risk individuals.

scholarly journals The influence of weather conditions during gestation on life histories in a wild Arctic ungulate

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1841) ◽  
pp. 20161760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Douhard ◽  
Leif Egil Loe ◽  
Audun Stien ◽  
Christophe Bonenfant ◽  
R. Justin Irvine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Svalbard Reindeer ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Age Related

The internal predictive adaptive response (internal PAR) hypothesis predicts that individuals born in poor conditions should start to reproduce earlier if they are likely to have reduced performance in later life. However, whether this is the case remains unexplored in wild populations. Here, we use longitudinal data from a long-term study of Svalbard reindeer to examine age-related changes in adult female life-history responses to environmental conditions experienced in utero as indexed by rain-on-snow (ROS utero ). We show that females experiencing high ROS utero had reduced reproductive success only from 7 years of age, independent of early reproduction. These individuals were able to maintain the same annual reproductive success between 2 and 6 years as phenotypically superior conspecifics that experienced low ROS utero . Young females born after high ROS utero engage in reproductive events at lower body mass (about 2.5 kg less) than those born after low ROS utero . The mean fitness of females that experienced poor environmental conditions in early life was comparable with that of females exposed to good environmental conditions in early life. These results are consistent with the idea of internal PAR and suggest that the life-history responses to early-life conditions can buffer the delayed effects of weather on population dynamics.

scholarly journals Birth weight is associated with brain tissue volumes seven decades later, but not with age-associated changes to brain structure

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily N. W. Wheater ◽  
Susan D. Shenkin ◽  
Susana Muñoz Maniega ◽  
Maria Valdés Hernández ◽  
Joanna M. Wardlaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Brain Tissue ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Cortical Surface ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mri Features

AbstractBirth weight, an indicator of fetal growth, is associated with cognitive outcomes in early life and risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease across the life course. Cognitive ability in early life is predictive of cognitive ability in later life. Brain health in older age, defined by MRI features, is associated with cognitive performance. However, little is known about how variation in normal birth weight impacts on brain structure in later life. In a community dwelling cohort of participants in their early seventies we tested the hypothesis that birthweight is associated with the following MRI features: total brain (TB), grey matter (GM) and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) volumes; whiter matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume; a general factor of fractional anisotropy (gFA) and peak width skeletonised mean diffusivity (PSMD) across the white matter skeleton. We also investigated the associations of birthweight with cortical surface area, volume and thickness. Birthweight was positively associated with TB, GM and NAWM volumes in later life (β ≥ 0.194), and with regional cortical surface area but not gFA, PSMD, WMH volume, or cortical volume or thickness. These positive relationships appear to be explained by larger intracranial volume rather than by age-related tissue atrophy, and are independent of body height and weight in adulthood. This suggests that larger birthweight is linked to increased brain tissue reserve in older life, rather than a resilience to age-related changes in brain structure, such as tissue atrophy or WMH volume.Significance StatementCognitive brain ageing carries a high personal, societal and financial cost and understanding its developmental origins is important for identifying possible preventative strategies. In a sample of older participants from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 we were able to explore the neurobiological correlates of birth weight, which is indicative of the fetal experience. We find that higher birth weight is related to larger brain tissue volumes in later life, but does not modify the trajectory of age-related change. This suggests that early life growth confers preserved differentiation, rather than differential preservation with regards to brain reserve. That these effects are detectable into later life indicates that this variable may be valuable biomarker in the epidemiology of ageing.

The role of early life nutrition in programming of reproductive function

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Chadio ◽  
B. Kotsampasi
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Epigenetic Modulation ◽  
And Function

Accumulating evidence suggest that the concept of programming can also be applied to reproductive development and function, representing an ever expanding research area. Recently issues such as peri- or even preconceptional nutrition, transgenerational effects and underlying mechanisms have received considerable attention. The present chapter presents the existed evidence and reviews the available data from numerous animal and human studies on the effects of early life nutritional environment on adult reproductive function. Specific outcomes depend on the severity, duration and stage of development when nutritional perturbations are imposed, while sex-specific effects are also manifested. Apart from undernutrition, effects of relative overnutrition as well as the complex interactions between pre- and postnatal nutrition is of high importance, especially in the context of our days obesity epidemic. Mechanisms underlying reproductive programming are yet unclear, but may include a role for epigenetic modifications. Epigenetic modulation of critical genes involved in the control of reproductive function and potential intergenerational effects represent an exciting area of interdisciplinary research toward the development of new nutritional approaches during pre- and postnatal periods to ensure reproductive health in later life.

scholarly journals Impact of High-Fat Diet in Early-Life on Mammary Metabolic and Inflammatory Status in Later-Life in Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 54-54
Author(s):  
Ying Tang ◽  
Ting-Chun Lin ◽  
Soonkyu Chung ◽  
Young-Cheul Kim ◽  
Zhenhua Liu
Keyword(s):  
Wnt Signaling ◽  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Chow Diet ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Inflammatory Status ◽  
Standard Chow Diet ◽  
Tnf Α

Abstract Objectives Emerging evidence indicates a potentially important role for early-life events and exposures in cancer development later in life. Moreover, accumulating evidence suggests that the incidence of cancers has reached a plateau in elders, whereas it continuously rises in young to middle adult. The present study aimed to investigate the potential impacts of high-fat diet in early-life, mimicking childhood/adolescent in humans, on mammary health in later-life of mice, equivalent to the young to middle age in human. Methods Female C57BL/8 mice (4 weeks of age) were fed a low-fat diet (LF: 10% kcal from fat) or a high-fat diet (HF: 60% kcal from fat) for 8 weeks, which is equivalent to child/adolescent age in humans. Mice in early-life groups were sacrificed after 8 weeks feeding, whereas mice in later-life groups were switched to standard chow diet (Lab Diet#5P76) and fed for additional 12 weeks before sacrifice. A panel of metabolic parameters, inflammatory cytokines, as well as gene expression related to tumorigenic Wnt-signaling were assessed by qPCR and immunoblotting analysis. Results Compared with LF group, the body weight in HF group was significantly elevated after 8-wk HF diet feeding (P < 0.05). After switching to the standard chow diet for 12 weeks, the significance remained until 24 weeks of age although with a reduced degree of magnitude (P < 0.05). For the metabolic factors, HFD reduced the expression levels of both Pparγ (P = 0.08) and adiponectin (P < 0.05) at 12 weeks and the reductions remains at 24 weeks (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, expressions of aromatase, estrogen receptor α and Tnf-α, Il-6, Il-10 as well as Cox2 among examined inflammatory mediators (Tnf-α, Il-6, Il-10, Il-2, Il-1β, Ifn-γ, Cox2) were significantly higher in HF than in LF group at 24 weeks (P < 0.05). For Wnt-signaling target genes (Cyclin D1, C-Myc, and Axin 2), a significant increase for C-Myc was observed in HF group at 12 weeks (P < 0.01). Conclusions Our results suggested that HF diet in early-life enhances adiposity and alters mammary metabolic and inflammatory status, creating a microenvironment in favor of breast tumorigenesis in later-life. Funding Sources This project was supported by USDA/Hatch (#1013548).

scholarly journals Research Progress on Association between Early-Life Exposure to Phthalates and Childhood Asthma

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 690-695
Author(s):  
Zhang Rong-Hui-Nan
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Asthma ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Phthalic Acid Esters ◽  
Early Life Exposure ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Acid Esters

Phthalates (Phthalic acid esters, PAEs) as a common industrial products, a growing body of scientific evidences indicate that exposure to PAEs in early life has a potential harmful effect on the growth and development of organisms in later life, among these hazards, exposure to PAEs widely may increase the risk of asthma in children, which has attracted more and more attention. This article introduced the reasons and effects of PAEs exposure in early life, the relationships between early-life PAEs exposure and childhood asthma from the perspectives of epidemiological and animal studies and the underlying mechanisms of action.

scholarly journals Epigenetic clocks and obesity: towards the next frontier using integrative approaches and early life models

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fasil Tekola-Ayele
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
White Women ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Active Research

Abstract Why people of the same age show differences in age-related functional decline, and whether biological aging can be slowed down through lifestyle changes and therapeutics is a subject of active research. Molecular tools that predict biological age based on DNA methylation markers, known as epigenetic clocks, are facilitating these efforts. In this issue, Kresovich et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2020;XXX(XX):XXXX–XXXX) investigated a cohort of non-Hispanic white women, demonstrating positive relations between adiposity measures and the ticking rate of epigenetic clocks in blood. This commentary emphasizes that integrating molecular and genetic epidemiology approaches is crucial to dissect the complex relationship between obesity and epigenetic aging. The early life period is explored as a unique opportunity to gain novel insights into links between developmental processes and aging in later life. Lastly, the landscape of the next frontier in aging research is described in light of the imperative for transdisciplinary approaches to outline a shared vision and public health implementation dilemmas.

Bat wings, bunions, and turkey wattles: body transgressions and older women's strategic clothing choices

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 709-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAURA HURD CLARKE ◽  
MERIDITH GRIFFIN ◽  
KATHERINE MALIHA
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Body Shapes ◽  
Clothing Choices ◽  
Depth Interviews

ABSTRACTThis paper examines older women's experiences and perceptions of clothing prescriptions for adults in later life. Using data from in-depth interviews with 36 women aged 71 to 93 years, we investigate the stringent, taken-for-granted social norms that older women identified with respect to appropriate fashion for the ageing female body. Specifically, the participants argued that older women should refrain from wearing bright colours and revealing or overly suggestive styles. Expressing a preference for classic or traditional styles, the women also reported that they used clothing strategically to mask or compensate for bodily transgressions that had occurred over time as a result of the physical realities of ageing, including weight gain, altered body shapes, wrinkles and sagging or ‘flabby’ arms and necks, referred to respectively as ‘bat wings’ and ‘turkey wattles’. In addition, the women contended that they consciously chose their clothing styles to compensate for age-related health issues and/or to present a competent, healthy self to others. Finally, the women talked about the ways in which their clothing choices were influenced by their changing lifestyles and constrained by a lack of desirable and affordable clothing options for the older female body. The findings are discussed in the light of Erving Goffman's concept of stigma and contemporary theorising about ageing, ageism, beauty work and the body.

scholarly journals Is Early Life Adversity a Trigger towards Inflammageing?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Merz ◽  
Jonathan D. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Chronic Viral Infections ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Distinct Features ◽  
Near Future

There are many ‘faces’ of early life adversity (ELA), such as childhood trauma, institutionalization, abuse or exposure to environmental toxins. These have been implicated in the onset and severity of a wide range of chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. The later-life disease risk has a well-established immunological component. This raises the question as to whether accelerated immune-ageing mechanistically links early-life adversity to the lifelong health trajectory resulting in either ‘poor’ or ‘healthy’ ageing. Here we examine observational and mechanistic studies of ELA and inflammageing, highlighting common and distinct features in these two life stages. Many biological processes appear in common including reduction in telomere length, increased immuno-senescence, metabolic distortions and chronic (viral) infections. We propose that ELA shapes the developing immune, endocrine and nervous system in a non-reversible way, creating a distinct phenotype with accelerated immuno-senescence and systemic inflammation. We believe that ELA acts as an accelerator for inflammageing and age-related diseases. Furthermore, we now have the tools and cohorts to be able to dissect the interaction between early life adversity and later life phenotype. This should, in the near future, allow us to identify the ecological and mechanistic processes that are involved in ‘healthy’ or accelerated immune-ageing.

scholarly journals An experimental demonstration that early-life competitive disadvantage accelerates telomere loss

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1798) ◽  
pp. 20141610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Nettle ◽  
Pat Monaghan ◽  
Robert Gillespie ◽  
Ben Brilot ◽  
Thomas Bedford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Plasma Lipid ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Telomere Attrition ◽  
Delayed Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Competitive Disadvantage ◽  
Telomere Loss

Adverse experiences in early life can exert powerful delayed effects on adult survival and health. Telomere attrition is a potentially important mechanism in such effects. One source of early-life adversity is the stress caused by competitive disadvantage. Although previous avian experiments suggest that competitive disadvantage may accelerate telomere attrition, they do not clearly isolate the effects of competitive disadvantage from other sources of variation. Here, we present data from an experiment in European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) that used cross-fostering to expose siblings to divergent early experience. Birds were assigned either to competitive advantage (being larger than their brood competitors) or competitive disadvantage (being smaller than their brood competitors) between days 3 and 12 post-hatching. Disadvantage did not affect weight gain, but it increased telomere attrition, leading to shorter telomere length in disadvantaged birds by day 12. There were no effects of disadvantage on oxidative damage as measured by plasma lipid peroxidation. We thus found strong evidence that early-life competitive disadvantage can accelerate telomere loss. This could lead to faster age-related deterioration and poorer health in later life.

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