Workpackage: WP1
In 2024, we received approval from the ethics committee to include a further 150 families.
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The PENSINE (Périnatalité, Environnement, Santé Intestinale et Nutrition de l’Enfant) research project aims to identify the role that early nutrition play on children's gut health from conception to the age of 4 years. The first inclusions started in December 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1s8sXpzN7k (Since its creation, the Roquette Foundation supports innovative or educational projects in the areas of food and nutrition.) Publication: , et al Impact of early life nutrition on gut health in children: a prospective clinical study Principal investigator |
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Summary: PENSINE is a prospective monocentric cohort which will include 500 mother/child couples recruited at the Lille University Jeanne de Flandre Maternity. PENSINE has recently obtained all the medico reglementary authorizations (ethics, privacy issues) and will start recruiting in 2020. The follow-up of the children will be carried out from birth until the age of 4 years. Information on parent’s nutritional habits and life style, breastfeeding duration and child’s complementary feeding will be collected.
Its primary objective is to evaluate the link between exclusive breastfeeding and gut health. Gut health will be evaluated on the non-invasive measurement of fecal IgAs as a sensitive biomarker of the intestinal ecosystem. The presence of gastrointestinal symptoms will be defined according to the clinical criteria of ROME IV (Functional gastrointestinal disorder questionnaire). Cord blood at birth and stool specimen samples will be stored to implement a biological banking.
Background and scientific/clinical importance: The first 1000 days of life, which extends from conception to the end of the second year of life, may contribute to individual sensitivity to the subsequent development of chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. This is why the implementation of an optimal nutritional program at a young age is crucial to improve child development and the well-being of people in the context of sustainable health. Breastfeeding is an essential part of child's health. The most apparent benefits of breastfeeding relate to the neurological development and the prevention of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in early childhood. Breast milk could also be a protective nutritional factor for IBD, probably by modulating the colonization of the intestinal microbiota and epigenetic mechanisms. However, a thorough understanding of the impact of early nutrition on the risk of chronic intestinal disorders remains a high priority for the development of preventive strategies aimed at promoting intestinal health for life. Within the framework of PENSINE, we propose to study the impact of early nutrition on gut maturation and health of children and in particular to identify the immunological, microbiological or epigenetic mechanisms involved.
Expected outcomes: We will obtain precise data on breastfeeding practices and their short- and medium-term effects on the health of the child, in particular in an innovative way on gut health. The biological bank will strengthen the research activities and networking around this project. The identification of risk profiles for intestinal diseases and new recommendations to improve sustainable health could be major outlets of this study.
Current results of the follow-up: 349 infants were included at birth (62% cord blood collected, 83% meconium collected); 313 at 6 months (95% stool collected). The vast majority of infants were born vaginally (85.9%), without prematurity, with 46% of the cohort exclusively breastfed at 3 months.
Fundings: This project is mainly granted by:
"La fondation Roquette Pour la Santé" |
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FHU "1000 jours pour la santé" |
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"GIRCI Nord Ouest" |
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