Eur J Nutr. 2026 May 6;65(4):129. doi: 10.1007/s00394-026-03979-9.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Evidence indicates that early-life nutrition may influence later cardiometabolic health, but most studies examine individual outcomes rather than multiple markers. This study assessed the relationship between macronutrient intake at 12 months and cardiometabolic health at ages 5-6 years in preschool children from the EDEN mother-child cohort.
METHODS: Macronutrient intake was derived from 3-day food records, standardized as SD. Body mass index z-scores (z-BMI) were calculated using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) references. Four sex-specific cardiometabolic phenotypes, based on anthropometric and biological data, were previously identified: “Higher adiposity, blood pressure (BP) and insulin resistance (IR)”, “Higher IR and lower adiposity”, “Higher triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)”, and “Higher BP and lower adiposity”. Multivariable linear regressions examined associations between macronutrients and z-BMI (for 426 boys, 387 girls) and cardiometabolic phenotypes (256 boys, 221 girls).
RESULTS: In girls, higher fat intake at 12 months was linked to higher z-BMI at 5-6 years (β = 0.07 [95%CI 0.00; 0.15]). In boys, greater mono- and disaccharide intake was associated with a higher score on the “Higher triglycerides, LDL-c, and lower HDL-c” pattern (β = 0.22 [0.04; 0.41]), while in girls, it was associated with the “Higher BP and lower adiposity” pattern (β = 0.18 [0.01; 0.35]). Other macronutrients showed no significant associations.
CONCLUSION: In infancy, higher fat intake may contribute to a higher z-BMI in girls in early childhood, and higher sugar intake to less favourable cardiometabolic health.
PMID:42090019 | DOI:10.1007/s00394-026-03979-9
