Tier 4 — mechanistic

Prospective associations of maternal betaine status with offspring weight and body composition at birth: the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort study

Linde van Lee, Mya Thway Tint, Izzuddin M Aris, Phaik Ling Quah, Marielle V Fortier, Yung Seng Lee, Fabian Kp Yap, Seang Mei Saw, Keith M Godfrey, Peter D Gluckman, Yap Seng Chong, Michael S Kramer, Mary Foong-Fong Chong
The American journal of clinical nutrition 2016 104(5):1327-1333

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 27655442
DOI
10.3945/ajcn.116.138818
Funding
Indexed grant support: MC_UU_12011/4 — Medical Research Council — United Kingdom; RG/15/17/31749 — British Heart Foundation — United Kingdom. The indexed list may not contain the complete funding declaration.
Competing interests
A competing-interest declaration was not available in the indexed record or accessible disclosure metadata.

Study snapshot

DesignProspective birth cohort
ModelHuman participants
Sample955 pregnant women; infant MRI subset 307
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationMid-pregnancy through neonatal assessment
EndpointsBirth size; Neonatal fat mass

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2016, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. It examined Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. The source describes 955 pregnant women; infant MRI subset 307.

Higher maternal betaine was associated with smaller infant size and less abdominal fat, including higher small-for-gestational-age odds.

Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome.

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Continue with TMG for Weight Loss: Body-Fat Findings and Their Limits

Key findings

  • Higher maternal betaine was associated with smaller infant size and less abdominal fat, including higher small-for-gestational-age odds.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Birth size; Neonatal fat mass.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome.
  • Source basis: Indexed abstract and bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology