Grant: CIHR Fellowship

In adults, obesity and a poor lifestyle increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart attack or stroke. CVD affects quality of life and is associated with premature death. CVD is the second leading cause of death after cancer in Canada. Targeting healthy lifestyle in early childhood for CVD prevention is an essential strategy to lower CVD across the population in the future. Indeed, it is during that period that lifestyle habits are shaped. Yet we have little knowledge on the effects of diet during childhood and adolescence on CVD risk factors such as blood cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, and insulin resistance. In this study, we will aim inform answers to the following questions: How does diet (such as frequency of consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and fruits and vegetables) impact cardiovascular health during childhood and adolescence? Do dietary habits impact CVD risk factors in girls vs. boys differently? Do these habits impact children with a high vs. low genetic risk for CVD differently? We will undertake this study with data from Project Viva, a multiethnic cohort of mothers and their children. The cohort followed mothers and their children from pregnancy until the children reached 18 years. Our findings will inform new strategies based on dietary habits during childhood and adolescence to prevent CVD later in life. Furthermore, our findings will help us understand whether intervening on specific dietary habits work better in girls vs. boys, and better in children with a high vs. low genetic predisposition. Ultimately, it will enable the development of dietary interventions tailored to the sex and genetic risk of children in order to prevent CVD.