Niki Oikonomopoulou, Maria Jose Rodriguez-Castaño, Araceli Corredera, Cristina Cortés-Ledesma, Eva Vierge, Jose Martinez-Orgado, Luis Arruza
{"title":"Extremely preterm infants with adverse neurological outcome present more frequently impaired right ventricular performance.","authors":"Niki Oikonomopoulou, Maria Jose Rodriguez-Castaño, Araceli Corredera, Cristina Cortés-Ledesma, Eva Vierge, Jose Martinez-Orgado, Luis Arruza","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03959-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03959-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The relationship between cardiovascular impairment and adverse outcome is insufficiently studied in preterm populations. Our aim was to analyze and compare cardiac performance during postnatal transition in extremely low gestational age infants (ELGANs) with and without adverse short-term neurological outcome.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Prospective observational cohort study. Continuous multimodal monitoring and targeted neonatal echocardiographic studies were conducted within the first 24 h of life (TNE1) and between 24 and 72 h (TNE2). Adverse outcome was defined as the composite of death, significant interventricular hemorrhage, or white matter injury.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 46 patients included, 21(45.7%) presented adverse outcome. There were no differences in left ventricular performance. During TNE1, infants with adverse outcome exhibited lower tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS-RV), alongside longer RV isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and higher RV Myocardial Performance Index (MPI). RV output positively correlated with peak systolic and mean velocity of the middle cerebral artery. By TNE2, RV performance differences had disappeared.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Impaired RV performance during early postnatal period is more frequent in ELGANs with adverse neurological outcome. Cerebral blood flow relies more on RV output. The potential role of early RV dysfunction in brain damage deserves further research.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Extremely preterm infants with adverse short-term neurological outcome present more frequently right ventricular dysfunction during early postnatal period, with a positive correlation between cerebral blood flow velocities and right ventricular output. RV performance may play a critical role in maintaining adequate cerebral blood flow; thus a subtle dysfunction could aggravate brain injury. This is the first study pointing towards a potential association between early RV dysfunction and adverse neurological outcome during neonatal transition in extremely preterm infants. Our study highlights the importance of early cardiac assessment and provides a new perspective for improving neonatal care and outcomes for this vulnerable population.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143567875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrative multi-omics analysis reveals molecular signatures of central obesity in children.","authors":"Chengzhi Zhao, Xizhou An, Leyuan Xiao, Jingyu Chen, Daochao Huang, Lijing Chen, Shenying Fang, Xiaohua Liang","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03958-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41390-025-03958-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Central obesity is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease. However, its molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully understood. This study aims to investigate lipids and proteins related to childhood central obesity, exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying this condition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A case-control study was conducted, including a total of 169 children (aged 7-16 years, 53.25% male, and 74 children in the central obesity group). Plasma lipidomics were measured in all 169 children, and plasma proteomics was measured in 112 of these children. The transcriptomics and lipidomics of the mice's liver were measured for normal feed and high-fat feed mice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-six key lipids significantly associated with central obesity were identified, predominantly triglycerides (TAG), with a minority being diacylglycerols (DAG). Additionally, six key proteins, namely PLIN1, PLAT, ADH1A, ADH4, LEP, and INHB, were discovered, which may positively influence the central obesity phenotype by modulating levels of lipids such as TAG, DAG, LDL-C, and HDL-C. These proteins exhibited increased expression in the plasma of children with central obesity. Validation using mouse liver samples showed some overlapping differential lipids between mice and children, albeit minimal overlap in differential genes. This discrepancy may stem from inherent differences between transcriptomics and proteomics, species variations, and differing sampling sites.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PLIN1, PLAT, ADH1A, ADH4, LEP, and INHB are potential significant biomarkers for childhood central obesity and may influence the phenotype of childhood central obesity by modulating levels of lipids such as TAG, DAG, LDL-C, and HDL-C.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>PLIN1, PLAT, ADH1A, ADH4, LEP, and INHB are potentially significant biomarkers for childhood central obesity and may influence the phenotype of childhood central obesity by modulating levels of lipids such as TAG, DAG, LDL-C, and HDL-C. Research on integrating lipidomics and proteomics to elucidate the mechanisms of obesity, especially childhood central obesity, remains extremely limited. Our study filled this gap. Our findings highlight potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets that could pave the way for new interventions and treatments to prevent central obesity in children and its harm.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143567876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Puncture approaches for ultrasound-guided kidney biopsy specimens: a pediatric model study using piglet kidneys.","authors":"Tomohiko Nishino, Sakurako Hirano, Shin Takemura, Shinya Tomori, Sayaka Ono, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Masakazu Mimaki","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03956-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03956-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The optimal puncture approach for real-time ultrasound-guided native kidney needle biopsy in children remains undetermined due to insufficient evidence. This study evaluated various puncture approaches for glomeruli count and arterial injury in the small kidneys of piglets.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 144 kidneys sourced from a slaughterhouse were examined. On each kidney, three puncture approaches were performed on the lower pole using a 16-gauge needle: Caudocranial, Craniocaudal, and Vertical. Blinded pediatric nephrologists assessed core length, glomeruli count, and arterial injury.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The kidneys had a mean vertical length of 9.31 ± 0.59 cm. Of 432 punctures, no punctures traversed the kidney. The Vertical approach yielded a significantly shorter core length than other methods (P < 0.001), but the glomeruli count was consistent across approaches (P = 0.41). Over 60% of the biopsies resulted in arterial injury, with the Caudocranial approach showing significantly higher injury rates (P < 0.03).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study focused on puncture techniques in a pediatric model, suggesting that the Craniocaudal and Vertical approaches are advantageous for selective glomerular sampling without increasing the arterial injury risk. Although further research on smaller kidneys is necessary, these findings offer valuable guidance for biopsy approaches to small kidneys, particularly in pediatric patients.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Kidney biopsy is essential for establishing diagnosis and determining treatment strategies; however, there is no consensus on the puncture approach in children who have the additional risk factor of small-sized kidneys. This study compared between biopsy specimens from piglet models of pediatric kidneys to clarify the best puncture approach based on pediatric characteristics. Although the same number of glomeruli were sampled using all approaches, the Caudocranial approach exhibited a significantly higher incidence of arterial injury. In kidney biopsy that considers the characteristics of children with small kidneys, the Craniocaudal or Vertical approaches may improve the safety and quality of biopsy specimens.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143557543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marwa Ramsie, Po-Yin Cheung, Tze-Fun Lee, Megan O'Reilly, Georg M Schmölzer
{"title":"Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of endotracheal versus supraglottic airway epinephrine in a healthy neonatal piglet model.","authors":"Marwa Ramsie, Po-Yin Cheung, Tze-Fun Lee, Megan O'Reilly, Georg M Schmölzer","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03960-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41390-025-03960-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epinephrine is currently the only vasopressor recommended for use during neonatal resuscitation. Epinephrine can be administered via intravenous, intraosseous, or endotracheal tube (ETT) route during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Supraglottic airway (SGA) may be a novel route of epinephrine administration. This study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of 0.1 mg/kg epinephrine administered via ETT, SGA top end, and SGA bottom end.</p><p><strong>Design/methods: </strong>Newborn piglets (n = 5/group) were anesthetized, randomized to SGA or tracheostomy, then surgically instrumented. Piglets randomized to SGA underwent another round of randomization following stabilization to receive epinephrine at the top or bottom of the SGA. Heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure, carotid blood flow, and cardiac function (e.g., stroke volume and ejection fraction) were continuously recorded throughout the experiment. Blood was collected prior to drug administration and throughout the observation period for pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant changes in hemodynamic parameters of HR, carotid blood flow, and cardiac function were only observed following ETT administration of epinephrine, while pharmacokinetic parameters were not different between ETT, SGA top, or SGA bottom.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There were no differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between ETT, SGA top, or SGA bottom routes of epinephrine administration in neonatal piglets.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Endotracheal tube (ETT) epinephrine results in significant hemodynamic parameters changes, whereas supraglottic airway (SGA) epinephrine did not produce the same hemodynamic effects, despite similar pharmacokinetic profiles. Systematic comparison of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of epinephrine via SGA versus ETT identifying potential limitations of SGA for epinephrine administration. The study raises important questions about the effectiveness of SGA for epinephrine administration during neonatal resuscitation. This research could influence future resuscitation guidelines and drive further studies to explore alternative dosing strategies or methods to improve the efficacy of SGA epinephrine. Further experiments examining SGA epinephrine during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143557537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nima Naseh, Tânia F Vaz, Hugo Ferreira, Nuno Canto Moreira, Lena Hellström-Westas, Fredrik Ahlsson, Johan Ågren
{"title":"Impact of early nutrition on brain development and neurocognitive outcomes in very preterm infants.","authors":"Nima Naseh, Tânia F Vaz, Hugo Ferreira, Nuno Canto Moreira, Lena Hellström-Westas, Fredrik Ahlsson, Johan Ågren","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03964-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03964-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Malnutrition of preterm infants may negatively affect brain growth and later neurocognitive function. We aimed to investigate the association between very preterm infants' macronutrient intakes, and brain MRI at term and neurodevelopment at 2 years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Single-center, retrospective cohort including extremely (22-27w) and very (28-31w) preterm infants born 2011-2014. The intakes of fluid, protein, carbohydrate, fat, and total calories during days 0-28 together with body weights were assessed in relation to brain MRI (morphology, volumetry, diffusion-weighted imaging) at term, and cognition (BSID-III) at 2 years, using adjusted multivariable regression analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seventy-two infants were included. A lower (p < 0.001) caloric intake in extremely preterm (n = 26) than in very preterm (n = 46) infants did not translate to any differences in brain volumes. While bivariate correlations (p < 0.01) were found between the enteral intakes of all macronutrients, and white matter volume and apparent diffusion coefficients, none of the correlations remained significant after adjusting for covariates in the multivariable analysis. Similarly, no associations between nutrient intakes and cognitive development remained after covariate adjustment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In a cohort of preterm infants receiving macronutrient intakes meeting current recommendations, individual variations in nutrition did not influence brain growth or neurodevelopment.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Early postnatal macronutrient intake was not associated with brain volumes at term or neurocognitive outcomes at 2 years in very preterm infants All infants received nutritional intakes meeting current recommendations Adequate macronutrient intake based on a standardized protocol may eliminate the need for further minor adjustments in the pursuit of supporting brain growth and neurodevelopment in preterm infants.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143557546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elisa Taylor, Manu Airaksinen, Rikhard Ihamuotila, Milja Kivelä, Ulla Ashorn, Leena M Haataja, Charles Mangani, Sampsa Vanhatalo
{"title":"Assessing motor development with wearables in low-resource settings: feasibility in rural Malawi.","authors":"Elisa Taylor, Manu Airaksinen, Rikhard Ihamuotila, Milja Kivelä, Ulla Ashorn, Leena M Haataja, Charles Mangani, Sampsa Vanhatalo","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03818-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41390-025-03818-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tracking of early motor development is essential for all neurodevelopmental assessments. A multisensor wearable system, MAIJU (Motor Assessment of Infants with a JUmpsuit), was recently developed for an objective and scalable measurement of developing motor skills in out-of-hospital settings. Here, we assessed its feasibility in remote low-resource settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 44 infants for repeated at-home measurements (total N = 121) with the MAIJU wearable in rural Malawi. We assessed (i) technical quality of the measured wearable data, (ii) reliability of the cloud-based analysis outputs, and (iii) maternal user experience. A dataset from 47 infants (total N = 111 measurements) in Finland served as a reference from a high-resource environment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Altogether 94% of the measurements were technically successful. The analysis outputs from the automated cloud pipeline were all comparable to the reference cohort in Finland. The method was rapidly learned by the local study personnel, and it was well received by the mothers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results suggest that advanced multisensor wearables and cloud-based analytics can be readily used in remote and low-resource settings. Uptake of such objective methods holds promise for harmonizing and increasing equality in developmental assessments, as well as facilitating a wide range of global health studies on early life.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Motor development is an effective measure of infants' overall neurodevelopment.<sup>1-4</sup> A multisensor wearable system was recently developed for an objective and scalable tracking of infants' developing gross motor skills.<sup>5-7</sup> Here, we assessed feasibility of using such wearable systems in low-resource settings in rural Malawi. Our findings show that the measurements are technically reliable, the outputs from the cloud-based analysis pipeline are comparable to those from our reference study in Finland, and the wearable recordings are well-received by the parents. The findings support the use of multisensor wearables in remote settings and highlight their potential for benchmarking early-life global health studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Malaria in pregnancy and its potential impact on neurodevelopment in children: a systematic review.","authors":"Shrikant Nema, Richa Singhal, Praveen Kumar Bharti, Nitika Nitika","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03967-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41390-025-03967-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Malaria during pregnancy can have adverse effects on fetal development, but its impact on neurodevelopment remains unclear. Although some studies have explored the consequences of prenatal malaria, gaps persist due to inconsistencies in exposure timing, assessment methods, and study designs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review highlighted the gaps in six studies selected from an initial pool of 2029 articles, offering clearer insights into the neurodevelopmental outcomes of prenatal malaria exposure.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Studies from Uganda, Benin, Ghana, and Malawi show that malaria during pregnancy adversely impacts cognitive, motor, and behavioral development. Cognitive deficits were observed at 12 and 24 months, with some studies indicating long-term effects at 36 months. Motor development and language outcomes were variable, with language impairments linked to malaria acquired late in pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The review identifies gaps in research, such as the role of asymptomatic infections, exposure timing, and malaria's interaction with maternal comorbidities like HIV. Potential mechanisms for neurodevelopmental deficits include placental dysfunction and inflammation impacting fetal brain development. However, methodological limitations, such as varying assessment tools and sample sizes, prevent conclusive evidence. The review calls for more longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of prenatal malaria better and guide interventions to improve child development in malaria-endemic regions.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Prenatal malaria exposure is linked to cognitive deficits, with potential long-term effects on motor and language development. Late pregnancy malaria may have a stronger impact on language development, highlighting the importance of exposure timing. Mechanisms such as placental dysfunction and inflammation may disrupt fetal brain development and contribute to neurodevelopmental deficits. Future studies should prioritize longitudinal research using advanced methodologies to better understand the long-term effects of prenatal malaria exposure on neurodevelopment.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rui Gu, Yuanzhao Zhi, Aoyu Wang, Daojing Ying, Huiqin Zeng, Peipei Shi, Lu Cao, Jianjiang Zhang, Qin Wang
{"title":"The association between fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis with IgA vasculitis and nephritis.","authors":"Rui Gu, Yuanzhao Zhi, Aoyu Wang, Daojing Ying, Huiqin Zeng, Peipei Shi, Lu Cao, Jianjiang Zhang, Qin Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03957-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03957-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The study investigated whether the fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis is associated with the presence and severity of IgA vasculitis (IgAV) and IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) in children.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We included 59 children with IgAV, 42 children with IgAVN (including 18 children with kidney biopsy), 26 plasma controls and 8 kidney controls. Clinical pathological data were collected, and the fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis and macrophage expression in the circulation and kidneys were detected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Circulating fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis expression was significantly upregulated in children with IgAV and IgAVN compared to healthy controls. Plasma fractalkine levels and the proportion of CX3CR1<sup>+</sup> monocytes were significantly higher in children with IgAVN than in those with IgAV, and the kidney expression of fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis and CD68 were significantly increased in the IgAVN group relative to normal controls, especially in children with IgAVN with more severe ISKDC pathological grading. Additionally, kidney levels of fractalkine, CX3CR1, and CD68 exhibited significant positive correlations with tubulointerstitial grading and serum creatinine levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The expression of fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis is associated with the presence and severity of IgAV and IgAVN. Our findings support further investigation of fractalkine/CX3CR1 as a target for future therapies in IgAV and IgAN.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>The expression of plasma fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis is associated with the presence and severity of IgAV and IgAVN. The expression of kidney fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis and macrophage are upregulated in IgAVN, which is closely associated with poorer kidney function and more severe kidney pathology. Our findings support further investigation of fractalkine/CX3CR1 as a target for future therapies in IgAV and IgAVN.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Simone A French, Alicia S Kunin-Batson, Anne A Eaton
{"title":"Physical activity and screen time: prospective associations with child emotional and behavioral well-being during the COVID pandemic.","authors":"Simone A French, Alicia S Kunin-Batson, Anne A Eaton","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03954-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03954-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) were examined longitudinally over 66 months to evaluate their association with child emotional and behavioral health during the early months of the COVID pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data are from 288 racially/ethnically diverse low-income children ages 2-4 years enrolled in the NET- Works studies (2012-2020). Baseline, 12-, 24-, 36- and 66-month measures of PA and ST were collected before the onset of the COVID pandemic. During the pandemic shutdown, parents completed a measure of their child's emotional and behavioral health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ). Longitudinal associations were examined between children's previous five-year PA and ST patterns and emotional and behavioral problems during the COVID shutdown.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Children whose objectively measured PA met recommendations at all five visits during the previous 66 months had poorer emotional and behavioral health, compared to less consistently active children (SDQ Emotions 0.91 points higher, 95% CI = 0.22, 1.6, p = 0.046; SDQ Conduct 1.1 points higher, 95% CI = 0.45, 1.8; p = 0.007). Child ST was not significantly associated with emotional or behavioral health.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Future longitudinal research should examine the effects of changes in children's habitual PA on children's emotional and behavioral well-being.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>To prevent declines in psychological and behavioral well-being among children who are currently regularly physically active, it is important to support their continued engagement in PA during periods when external barriers to PA are high. Increases in physical activity among children who are currently more sedentary may help limit the negative effects of stressors on children's emotional and behavioral well-being, but further research is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}