Early Genetic and Environmental Influences on Eating - The Baylor Infant Twins Study

Study Summary

The purpose of this study is to better understand the genetic and environmental etiology of early infant effortful control and infant feeding behaviors, and preschool executive functioning and eating behaviors. An additional purpose is to establish whether these four constructs (infant effortful control; infant feeding behaviors; preschool executive functioning; and preschool eating behaviors) have shared genetic and / or environment etiologies. Study objectives: (1) Evaluate the extent to which genetic influences on infants' effortful control of behavior are modified by prenatal diet, exercise and stress (2) Estimate the extent to which infant effortful control of behavior predicts and shares genetic influences with preschool executive functioning, and preschool eating behaviors. (3) Identify which genes are associated with infant effortful control behavior, preschool executive functioning, and preschool eating behaviors. (4) Examine whether there is a pattern of bacteria in the gut microbiome which associates with infant effortful control of behavior, preschool executive functioning, and preschool eating behaviors.

Primary Outcome

IBQ is a mother-reported Infant temperament scale comprised of 37 items that measure the frequency of range of specified infant behaviors over the last two weeks that assess three aspects of temperament 1. Positive affectivity/surgency (PAS), 2. Negative emotionality (NEG), and 3. Orienting and regulatory capacity (ORC) on a scale ranging from 1-7. A higher score indicates a higher frequency of behavior and a lower score indicates a lower frequency of the behavior.

Interventions

• OTHER Observation