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Topical Area: Maternal, Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition

Maternal, Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition (I) (Poster Session)

(P07-026-23) Factors Associated With Gut Integrity Damage in Children Participating in the MetA-Bone Trial

Saturday, July 22, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 150
Disclosure(s):
Jacqueline Hernandez, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Cristina Palacios, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: There are very few studies evaluating gut integrity damage among healthy children. This study seeks to determine the factors associated with gut integrity damage, such as socio-demographics, body composition, vitamin D and hydration status, in healthy children.

Methods: This cross-sectional study gathered data from 9-14 years old healthy children from the ongoing MetA-Bone Trial baseline visit. Socio-demographic variables were gathered through a questionnaire. Measures included: gut integrity damage (Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein; I-FABP) in 24-h urine samples determined by ELISA; serum 25(OH)D levels (commercial lab); hydration status (urine specific gravity; USG); diet (24-hr recalls; analyzed with NDSR); body fat percentage (DEXA scan), BMI (weight and height); and waist circumference; Analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regressions (adjusting for age, sex, race, and fiber intake).

Results: In 63 participants, mean age was 12.2±1.40 years, 55.6% were male, 60% were of mixed race, 73% were Hispanic/Latino; 69.8% had a BMI < 85th percentile; 50.8% had vitamin D insufficiency. Mean I-FABP level was 26.8±47.1 pg/mL. I-FABP levels were remarkably higher in Black children (72.1±110.8) compared to white children (17.6±19.0; P=0.014) and to those of mixed race (19.7±17.0; P=0.006), but similar by ethnicity (P=0.939) or sex (P=0.124). I-FABP levels were inversely associated with body fat percentage (P=0.046), in the adjusted model. In addition, BMI (P=0.123) and waist circumference (P=0.170) did not show a significant association with I-FABP levels after adjusting for covariates. I-FABP levels were not associated with vitamin D (P=0.305) or USG (P=0.798).

Conclusions: Gut integrity damage was higher in Black compared with white or mixed-race children and was inversely associated with fat percentage. More research is needed to understand the role of anthropometrics, vitamin D levels and diet on I-FABP in children.

Funding Sources: National Institutes of Health (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD)