Tier 4 — mechanistic

The association of dietary choline and betaine and anthropometric measurements among Iranian children: a cross-sectional study

Alireza Jafari, Yahya Jalilpiran, Katherine Suitor, Nick Bellissimo, Leila Azadbakht
BMC pediatrics 2021 21(1):213

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 33931062
PubMed Central
PMC8086079
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or accessible funding metadata.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: The author declared no competing interests.

Study snapshot

DesignCross-sectional study
ModelHuman participants
Sample788 Iranian children aged 6
InterventionHabitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment
Duration2018 survey
EndpointsAnthropometry; Childhood overweight

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2021, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Cross-sectional study. Sample/model: 788 Iranian children aged 6. The exposure or intervention was Habitual dietary choline and/or betaine intake; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: 2018 survey.

Most body-size comparisons were null; selected betaine associations concerned mid-arm circumference and overweight classification.

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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Key findings

  • Most body-size comparisons were null; selected betaine associations concerned mid-arm circumference and overweight classification.
  • The recorded outcome domains were Anthropometry; Childhood overweight.
  • The exposure was observed rather than assigned as an isolated supplement treatment.

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.
  • Confounding, dietary patterns, illness, medication use and reverse causation can influence an association. Blood or dietary concentrations do not identify the effect of starting a capsule.
  • Source basis: Accessible full-text extract plus indexed bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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