Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Mapping of the nutritional data in the pediatric age
Coordinator
Identification of areas in Italy, based on existing databank, in order to: a) assess the populations at higher risk of over- and under-nutrition b) select the strategic partners to meet and educate the at-risk population (schools, recreative centres, churches, other associations) in connection with Spoke 7.
Analysis of existing data on food consumption, lifestyle and biochemical/genetic parameters in Italian population groups along the lifecycle: elaboration of available datasets providing information on eating and lifestyle habits, accessibility, drivers and barriers towards a healthy diet of defined groups (children, adolescents, adults, pregnant women, older subjects) in connection with Spoke 1.
Development of an ONFOODS cohort (including relevant target groups along the lifecycle) within the geographical area covered by the participant institutions with the aim to systematically assess nutritional status, eating behaviour, physical activity and lifestyle in target populations through the application of shared procedures and questionnaire able to add information lacking from the available datasets and to provide a setting for the validation of possible biomarker (see WP 5.4.) new intervention (in connection with Spoke 4) or educational strategies (in connection with spoke 7).
Definition of new protocols/surveys for the evaluation of the nutritional status across life stages, with attention to maternal-infant dyad in the "first 1000 days"; b) adult population (including physically active people and athletes); and free-living older adults.
Identify the factors influencing adherence to the Mediterranean diet with attention to children and adolescents in Italy (including consumer needs and preferences, local determinants/drivers of food choices in connection with Spoke 1).
To develop and validate personally tailored algorithms for designing diets that optimise blood glucose levels in pregnant women and healthy children during the first 1000 days and long-term efficacy for weight maintenance in later ages (in connection with Spoke 4).
Investigations on selected cohorts for the validation of biomarkers in a real-life and life-long environment (biomarkers of adherence to dietary recommendations for children, biomarkers of adherence to dietary recommendations for the elderly, biomarkers of adherence to diet recommendations for pregnant women).
Define questionnaires for investigating nutritional status according with age (M6)
Report on available data and defined network (M18)
Report on national food consumption accessibility, drivers, and barriers towards a healthy diet of defined groups (M32)
Report on needs and constraints of different population groups (M36)
Protocols for the definition of nutritional status, eating behaviour, physical activity, and lifestyle (M12)
Report on nutritional status, eating behaviour, physical activity and lifestyle linked to quality of diet, nutrition and adherence to sustainable food patterns (M36)
Recommendations for the adoption of adequate healthy dietary patterns a) during the first 1000 days window, b) physically active people, athletes (M36)
Identification of variables related to Mediterranean diet adherence, including socio-economic and cultural factors, lifestyle, nutrition knowledge, consumer preferences, etc. (M12)
Inclusion of a subgroup of participants for data collection at in-patient clinics, including biological samples at various time points and matching with nutritional data (24-h recalls) to identify biomarkers of consumption and related markers (M24)
Provide an algorithm that predicts person-specific glycemic responses to various food to be used as a basis for providing individualized dietary recommendations (M24)
Fact sheets reporting the prevalence of diet-related disorders based on biomarkers among different population groups (M36)
Early nutrition and lifestyle during infancy have important long-term effects on later health. The study of nutritional programming has highlighted the first 1000 days of life from conception to early childhood, as a critical period during which there is the possibility to modulate the future risk of non-communicable disease. Ensuring optimal nutrition during childhood is crucial to achieve growth as well as cognitive and immune development. Pediatric age groups are at higher risk for nutritional insecurity thus the identification of strategies to provide specific nutritional requirements is highly needed. The evaluation of nutritional status requires dietary assessment, anthropometric measurements, clinical and laboratory biomarkers evaluations.
During the pediatric age, the eating environment is crucial for acquiring correct eating and food habits. It is universally recognized that certain dietary patterns are protective against non-communicable diseases. Over the last decades great attention has been paid to the Mediterranean diet, as a balanced nutritional pattern associated with increased metabolic health status in childhood.
1) Use of existing nutritional and clinical data of different pediatric cohorts, particularly healthy, undernourished, overweight and obese children.
2) Collection of clinical data, anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index, growth pattern percentile ranks, body indices and circumferences), skinfolds and body composition (fat mass, fat free mass, total body water) from new pediatric cohorts.
3) Study of dietetic history (type of breastfeeding, timing and mode of complementary feeding, allergies) energy and nutrients requirement, quantitative and qualitative analysis of food intakes (by means of 3-day food diary and 24 h dietary recall, both evaluated through nutritional software) in existing and new pediatric cohorts.
4) Evaluation of biochemical data collected from existing and new pediatric age groups (glucose and lipid metabolism, hepatic functionality, micronutrients assessment such as Vitamin B12, folic acid and Vitamin D) according to the nutritional status and nutritional intakes.
5) Evaluation of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in pediatric age groups by means of KIDMED questionnaire.
1. Creation of a database of pediatric clinical nutritional data for research purposes.
2. Mapping of nutritional data and metabolic condition of Italian children by age group.
3. Assessments of pediatric nutritional status by a multidisciplinary team to promote healthy lifestyles in children and their families.
4. Targeted nutritional advice to optimize pediatric patients’ nutritional intakes and body composition.
5. Promoting adherence to the Mediterranean Diet across different pediatric life stages.
