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Pediatric Nephrology
Published in: Pediatric Nephrology 10/2015

Open Access 01-10-2015 | Original Article

Protein intake in infancy and kidney size and function at the age of 6 years: The Generation R Study

Authors: Trudy Voortman, Hanneke Bakker, Sanaz Sedaghat, Jessica C. Kiefte–de Jong, Albert Hofman, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Oscar H. Franco, Edith H. van den Hooven

Published in: Pediatric Nephrology | Issue 10/2015

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Abstract

Background

High protein intake has been linked to kidney growth and function. Whether protein intake is related to kidney outcomes in healthy children is unclear.

Methods

We examined the associations between protein intake in infancy and kidney outcomes at age 6 years in 2968 children participating in a population-based cohort study. Protein intake at 1 year was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire and was adjusted for energy intake. At age 6 years we measured the kidney volume and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) of all participating children, and we estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using serum creatinine and cystatin C levels.

Results

In models adjusted for age, sex, body surface area, and sociodemographic factors, a higher protein intake was associated with a lower ACR and a higher eGFR but was not consistently associated with kidney volume. However, after further adjustment for additional dietary and lifestyle factors, such as sodium intake, diet quality, and television watching, higher protein intake was no longer associated with kidney function. No differences in associations were observed between animal and vegetable protein intake.

Conclusions

Our findings show that protein intake in early childhood is not independently associated with kidney size or function at the age of 6 years. Further study is needed on other early life predictors of kidney size and function in later life.
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Metadata
Title
Protein intake in infancy and kidney size and function at the age of 6 years: The Generation R Study
Authors
Trudy Voortman
Hanneke Bakker
Sanaz Sedaghat
Jessica C. Kiefte–de Jong
Albert Hofman
Vincent W. V. Jaddoe
Oscar H. Franco
Edith H. van den Hooven
Publication date
01-10-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Pediatric Nephrology / Issue 10/2015
Print ISSN: 0931-041X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-198X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-015-3096-4

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