Annals of Human Biology最新文献

{"title":"Paternal genetic structure of an endogamous Saraiki population from Pakistan inferred from rapidly mutating Y-STRs.","authors":"Sajid Naeem, Allah Rakha, Shahid Nazir, Rahat Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Ilyas, Rashed Alghafri, Cristina Coman, Atif Adnan, Fu Ren","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2720086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2026.2720086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are widely used in forensic genetics, but conventional panels show limited diversity and poor resolution among paternal relatives in endogamous populations. Rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs offer higher mutation rates to overcome these limitations.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the forensic and population genetic utility of 13 RM Y-STRs in the endogamous Saraiki population of Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>Thirteen RM Y-STR loci were analysed in 100 unrelated Saraiki males. Haplotype diversity, discrimination capacity, allele frequencies, and gene diversity were calculated. Y-haplogroups were inferred, and demographic analyses (BATWING, mismatch distribution, median-joining networks) were performed. Population comparisons used Rst distances.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>High haplotype diversity (0.9992) and discrimination capacity (0.9600) were observed, with 319 alleles across 13 loci. Allele frequencies ranged from 0.0050 to 0.3100, and gene diversity values were between 0.7700 and 0.9302. Twelve haplogroups were identified, with R1a (42%), R2 (18%), and J2 (15%) most frequent. Estimated coalescence times were ∼5,200 (R1a), ∼6,800 (R2), and ∼8,900 years (J2). Furthermore, mismatch distribution analyses suggested differing demographic histories. Network analyses confirmed the resolving power of multicopy RM Y-STRs for closely related lineages. Saraiki showed closest affinity to Punjabi and greatest divergence from Hazara populations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>RM Y-STRs provide substantially enhanced discriminatory power in the Saraiki population compared with conventional panels, with multicopy markers achieving discrimination comparable to the full 13-locus set. These data enrich global reference databases and support forensic and population genetic research in endogamous South Asian populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2720086"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149138193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of facial indices from 10 to 20 years of age: a comparison of direct anthropometry and photoanthropometry.","authors":"Egle Stukaite-Ruibiene, Jonas Tutkus, Stefanie Ritz-Timme, Cristina Cattaneo, Zuzana Obertova, Renata Simkunaite-Rizgeliene, Arunas Barkus, Simona Gervickaite, Janina Tutkuviene","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2689981","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2026.2689981","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Facial indices are used for facial proportions analysis. So far, studies have investigated only a few indices or a narrow age range. Studies comparing direct anthropometry and photoanthropometry for facial analysis are contradictory.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to analyse the dynamics of facial indices from 10 to 20 years of age and to determine the indices which were consistent between direct anthropometry and photoanthropometry.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>Faces of 1376 participants were measured directly and photographed in the frontal plane. Craniofacial landmarks were identified, facial parameters were measured, 34 facial indices were calculated. Their dynamics and sexual differences were analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Interpupillary distance relative to morphological facial height gradually decreased while facial index increased. Zygomandibular index remained stable. Nasal index for boys varied the most. Nasal width relative to facial heights remained stable. Interpupillary distance in relation to morphological facial height and labial fissure width showed the best consistency between the two methods.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Eyes became relatively smaller. Faces grew vertically relatively more than horizontally. The nose became wider at a similar rate as the face grew vertically. Indices containing vertical measurements, eye parameters and labial fissure width coincided the most between the two methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2689981"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148392516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning combined with WGCNA reveals potential calcium uptake-associated biomarkers in Parkinson's disease.","authors":"Wangzhouyang Lou, Juqin Wu","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2661601","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2661601","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterised by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the <i>substantia nigra pars compacta</i>. Although previous studies have suggested a correlation between calcium signal disruption and the development of PD, the role of genes associated with store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in PD remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To combine machine learning methods with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to systematically screen and identify SOCE-associated candidate genes and evaluate their potential for assisting in discrimination.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>This study is based on the GSE6613 dataset, using ssGSEA and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to screen for co-expression modules related to SOCE, and combining LASSO, SVM-RFE, and random forest algorithm to identify feature genes. Subsequently, validation was conducted in GSE20163 and GSE22491, and <i>in vitro</i> experiments were carried out in 6-OHDA and MPP⁺ models of dopaminergic neurons derived from LUHMES.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 5 SOCE-associated feature genes (LPCAT3, CLCNKB, TXLNA, etc.) were identified, and their combined model showed moderate discriminative ability in external validation. Immune analysis showed immune dysfunction in PD patients, and <i>in vitro</i> experiments also observed consistent expression trends with patient samples.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In summary, this study identified potential PD feature genes associated with SOCE, providing clues for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of SOCE-associated calcium signalling in PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2661601"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147934581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of inflammation-related composite indices with lung cancer risk in US adults and all-cause mortality among lung cancer patients: evidence from the 1999-2018 NHANES.","authors":"Qunyan Yao, Hui Zhang, Jinhua Jiang, Feng Yuan","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2669070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2026.2669070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic inflammation is implicated in lung cancer pathogenesis. Inflammation-related haematologic indices are accessible biomarkers, but their associations with lung cancer risk and mortality in the general US population are not well-established.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the associations of five inflammation-related haematologic indices (NLR, MLR, NMLR, ALI, PIV) with lung cancer risk and all-cause mortality among US adults.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>This population-based study analysed 47,862 adults from the 1999-2018 NHANES. Lung cancer was self-reported. Associations with lung cancer risk in the overall study population and with all-cause mortality among participants with lung cancer (followed through 2019) were assessed using weighted logistic and Cox regression models, respectively. Sensitivity analyses, including machine learning, were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among participants, 114 had lung cancer. Higher NLR, MLR, NMLR, and PIV were significantly associated with increased lung cancer risk (e.g. per 1-SD increase: MLR OR = 1.50) and all-cause mortality (e.g. MLR HR = 1.40). Conversely, higher ALI was associated with decreased risk (OR = 0.58) and mortality (HR = 0.53). MLR showed the highest discriminative ability for risk (AUC = 0.715). Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Inflammation-related haematologic indices are significantly associated with lung cancer risk and prognosis. These low-cost biomarkers show potential for risk stratification and prognostic assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2669070"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148438867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the correlation between sensorimotor evoked potential and cognitive impairment in post-stroke patients.","authors":"Zhipeng Yan, Hao Luo, Bilian Guo","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2709422","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2709422","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with 35-80% of survivors developing cognitive impairment that affects quality of life. Current diagnostic tools are limited, highlighting the need for objective, cost-effective biomarkers for post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the relationship between PSCI severity and sensorimotor evoked potentials, compare interhemispheric sensorimotor cortex excitability, and assess the utility of these potentials for PSCI screening.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>Twenty-two stroke patients underwent neuropsychological and clinical evaluations at 3-6 months post-stroke, with testing performed within 7±3 days of the scheduled date. Patients were divided into mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia groups. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) elicited by single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation assessed primary motor cortex excitability, while somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) from median nerve stimulation evaluated primary somatosensory cortex excitability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MEP absence showed a dose-dependent relationship with cognitive severity (Kendall's tau-b = -0.467, <i>p</i> = 0.029); 80% of MEP-absent patients had dementia versus 20% of MEP-present cases. In hemispheric analysis, affected hemispheres displayed elevated the resting motor threshold (RMT) (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and prolonged SEP N20 latency (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while unaffected hemispheres showed increased RMT in the MCI-with-MEP and dementia-without-MEP groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with reduced amplitude in dementia-with-MEP patients (<i>p</i> < 0.01). No linear SEP-cognition relationship emerged.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PSCI severity correlates with MEP presence/absence, not SEP measures. Notably, the excitability of the unaffected motor cortex progressively declines with worsening cognition. Although MEP shows promise as a biomarker for cognitive impairment assessment, longitudinal validation is needed to confirm its predictive utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2709422"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148721777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of disasters due to natural hazards on human infectious disease risk: a narrative review and conceptual framework.","authors":"Emily K Rousham","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2716054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2026.2716054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Disasters caused by natural hazards increase infectious diseases through water-borne, vector-borne and human-to-human transmission. In addition, human injury, stress and trauma following disasters increase susceptibility to infection. These factors provide the ideal conditions for disease outbreaks.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To develop a conceptual framework and conduct a narrative review on the key determinants of infectious disease risk during disasters and consider mitigation measures to prevent such outbreaks.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An adapted conceptual framework was developed, followed by systematic searches of PubMed and Scopus. Peer-reviewed studies examining disasters and infectious disease in human hosts from 2000 to 2025 were included. A narrative synthesis was conducted.</p><p><strong>Results and conclusions: </strong>This review demonstrates how infectious disease risks from disasters can be analysed according to three major determinants, namely: natural hazards (type, nature and severity), exposures, and host vulnerability. Overlaying these determinants is the adaptive capacity of the community at a systems level including infrastructure, health systems, disaster preparedness and emergency response. Adaptive capacity can have a major influence on the severity of infectious disease outcomes. With climate change disruptions predicted to increase the frequency and severity of disasters due to natural hazards, this adds even more importance to identifying infectious disease risks and mitigating actions for the most vulnerable populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2716054"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148901339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reference values for foot morphological characteristics: a cross-sectional study of urban Chinese children aged 9-36 months.","authors":"Shuang Feng, Huilan Feng, Yanhui Li, Yong Zhang, Jing Liang, Yilun Ji, Hongjuan Li, Zhaohui Wang","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2689982","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2689982","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The first three years are critical for foot development, yet standardised assessments are lacking.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to establish sex-specific reference percentiles for key foot dimensions in Chinese children under three years of age.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>We recruited 6,284 children aged 9-36 months from a child health clinic in Xi'an, China. Foot length, width, calcaneal eversion angle, and the arch index were measured from static, weight-bearing images. Sex-specific percentile curves were constructed using the Generalised Additive Model for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Foot length, width, and arch index increased with age, whereas the foot width/length ratio and calcaneal eversion angle decreased. Median (P50) foot length increased from 11.29 cm to 15.07 cm in boys and from 10.95 cm to 14.76 cm in girls. Corresponding values for foot width were 5.37-6.50 cm (boys) and 5.15-6.30 cm (girls). The arch index rose from 0.04 to 0.18 (boys) and 0.06 to 0.23 (girls), while the foot width/length ratio declined from 47.45% to 43.04% (boys) and 47.03% to 42.51% (girls).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides the first foot morphology reference standards for urban Chinese children under three years of age, offering essential data for early foot structure assessment in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2689982"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148681024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic effects of Xianlinggubao capsules on knee function, inflammatory response, and bone metabolism in elderly patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis.","authors":"Yi Guan, Yemei Gao","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2619170","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2619170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>KOA is a common degenerative joint disease that often causes chronic pain, impairs daily activities, and imposes a considerable burden on patients.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This research aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of XLGB capsules in improving knee joint function and regulating bone metabolism in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis (KOA).</p><p><strong>Subject and methods: </strong>We randomised 100 elderly KOA patients into control (received Celecoxib treatment) and observation (received Celecoxib + XLGB treatment) groups, with 50 patients each. Outcome measures included inflammatory markers (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α), bone metabolism indicators (BGP, OPG, BALP, CTX-I), pain mediators (5-HT, SP, PGE2), Lysholm Knee Score, WOMAC score, VAS score, overall efficacy, and adverse reactions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After treatment, compared to the control group, the observation group showed lower serum levels of IL-1, TNF-α, IL-6, CTX-I, 5-HT, SP, and PGE2, lower VAS and WOMAC scores, higher serum levels of BGP, OPG, BALP, higher Lysholm scores, and higher overall effective rate (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). No statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups was noted during treatment (<i>p</i> > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>XLGB capsules are effective and safe for managing degenerative KOA, offering benefits in alleviating inflammation and pain, improving bone metabolism, and enhancing knee joint function.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2619170"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147345590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New hominin cranial and mandibular remains from Drimolen Main Quarry, South Africa.","authors":"Jesse M Martin, A B Leece, Stephanie Baker, Andy I R Herries, David S Strait","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2725046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2026.2725046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To date, the only specimens to have been comprehensively described from Drimolen Main Quarry (DMQ) are dental elements, well preserved crania (DNH 7, DNH 134, DNH 152, DNH 155), and 29 post-cranial elements. Consequently, a significant number of hominin fossils, some excavated over 30 years ago, remain completely or partially undescribed and therefore unavailable for study.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To describe the bony anatomy of a further 18 cranial specimens excavated between 1992 and 2019. We additionally utilise these newly described specimens to test existing hypotheses concerning the first appearance of <i>H. erectus</i> at DMQ ∼2.0 Ma, and the morphological distinctiveness of the DMQ <i>P. robustus ukusa</i> sample.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>We adopt the methods of descriptive morphology by comparing DMQ hominin fossils to hominin fossil samples from SM1HR and KBM4-6. We utilise qualitative anatomical descriptions and comparisons, supplemented with quantitative measurements.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 18 previously undescribed DMQ hominin fossils, we assign one to <i>Homo erectus</i>, 14 to <i>Paranthropus robustus</i>, and three to <i>Hominini</i> gen. et sp. Indet. Additionally, we identify a new mandibular trait which may further discriminate DMQ <i>P. robustus</i> from SM1HR and KBM4-6.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The morphology preserved by these additional <i>Paranthropus robustus</i> fossils is compatible with the hypothesis that the DMQ population is morphologically distinct from the SM1HR and KBM4-6 populations. Further, DNH 127 provides additional evidence for the presence of <i>H. erectus</i> in South Africa at ∼2.04-1.95 Ma.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2725046"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149065726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A scoping review of infant body composition (0-24 months) assessed by deuterium dilution.","authors":"Nouhayla Bouali, Anass Houdou, Chaymae El Abbass, Amina Barkat, Mohamed Khalis","doi":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2734429","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03014460.2026.2734429","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>The deuterium dilution technique is applicable across the 0-24 month age range in diverse resource settings. No structured review has previously mapped the scope of its use in this population.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This scoping review was limited to mapping infant body composition studies (0-24 months) using deuterium dilution, describing methodological approaches, identifying contexts of applications, and highlighting evidence gaps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A structured literature search was conducted across four databases with citation tracking, following prisma-ScR guidelines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-four studies from approximately 18-20 distinct cohorts across six continents were included from 1,078 identified records. Substantial heterogeneity was documented in every protocol element: dose, equilibration time, analytical platform, correction factor for non-aqueous exchange (unreported in approximately one-third of studies), and hydration model. This heterogeneity prevents direct comparison of fat mass and fat-free mass values across studies, precluding meta-analytic synthesis. Key gaps include the near-absence of data in preterm infants (one study), small for gestational age (SGA) or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) classification in only three of 24 studies, and incomplete breastfeeding documentation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review maps a growing but methodologically heterogeneous literature. Standardised protocol reporting, dedicated preterm and SGA studies, and longitudinal designs linking early body composition to later outcomes are research priorities.</p>","PeriodicalId":50765,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Human Biology","volume":"53 1","pages":"2734429"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}