Isabelle Herter-Aeberli

Last Name

Herter-Aeberli

First Name

Isabelle

ORCID

0000-0003-0134-6217

Organisational unit

09658 - von Meyenn, Ferdinand / von Meyenn, Ferdinand

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Publications 1 - 10 of 46

International Waist Circumference Percentile Cutoffs for Central Obesity in Children and Adolescents Aged 6 to 18 Years
Xi, Bo; Zong, Xin'nan; Kelishadi, Roya; et al. (2020)
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Context No universal waist circumference (WC) percentile cutoffs used have been proposed for screening central obesity in children and adolescents. Objective To develop international WC percentile cutoffs for children and adolescents with normal weight based on data from 8 countries in different global regions and to examine the relation with cardiovascular risk. Design and Setting We used pooled data on WC in 113,453 children and adolescents (males 50.2%) aged 4 to 20 years from 8 countries in different regions (Bulgaria, China, Iran, Korea, Malaysia, Poland, Seychelles, and Switzerland). We calculated WC percentile cutoffs in samples including or excluding children with obesity, overweight, or underweight. WC percentiles were generated using the general additive model for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS). We also estimated the predictive power of the WC 90th percentile cutoffs to predict cardiovascular risk using receiver operator characteristics curve analysis based on data from 3 countries that had available data (China, Iran, and Korea). We also examined which WC percentiles linked with WC cutoffs for central obesity in adults (at age of 18 years). Main Outcome Measure WC measured based on recommendation by the World Health Organization. Results We validated the performance of the age- and sex-specific 90th percentile WC cutoffs calculated in children and adolescents (6-18 years of age) with normal weight (excluding youth with obesity, overweight, or underweight) by linking the percentile with cardiovascular risk (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.69 for boys; 0.63 for girls). In addition, WC percentile among normal weight children linked relatively well with established WC cutoffs for central obesity in adults (eg, AUC in US adolescents: 0.71 for boys; 0.68 for girls). Conclusion The international WC cutoffs developed in this study could be useful to screen central obesity in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years and allow direct comparison of WC distributions between populations and over time.
Major depressive disorder in children and adolescents is associated with reduced hair cortisol and anandamide (AEA): cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence from a large randomized clinical trial
Walther, Andreas; Eggenberger, Lukas; Debelak, Rudolf; et al. (2025)
Translational Psychiatry
Pediatric major depressive disorder (MDD) represents a leading cause of disability worldwide in children and adolescents, while its underlying pathophysiology remains largely elusive. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are considered intertwined regulatory systems crucially implicated in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders. This study explores the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between the ECS, specifically anandamide (AEA), and the HPA axis with its main effector cortisol and MDD status and severity in children and adolescents. Utilizing data from the omega-3-pMDD trial, a phase III Randomized Clinical Trial assessing the efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in pediatric MDD, we examined hair AEA and cortisol concentrations in 110 children and adolescents aged 8-17 years, with MDD. Associations between MDD, symptom severity and hair AEA and cortisol concentrations were explored across four measurement time points (baseline, week 6, 24 and 36). Additionally, 127 healthy children and adolescents were examined once to enable cross-sectional comparisons between MDD cases and healthy controls. Baseline comparisons for the 237 children and adolescents showed lower cortisol and AEA levels in hair of children and adolescents with MDD compared to healthy controls. Longitudinal multi-level analysis over all time-points further corroborated negative longitudinal associations between hair cortisol and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with MDD. Taken together, reduced baseline AEA and cortisol levels emerge as robust biomarker in depressed youth, while the negative longitudinal association between hair cortisol and depression symptoms might provide useful for therapy monitoring purposes. These results hold implications for early detection, diagnosis, and therapeutic response prediction in pediatric MDD.
Iron status in women of reproductive age in Switzerland: the role of inflammation and ferritin thresholds for the prevalence of iron deficiency–a cross-sectional study
Herter-Aeberli, Isabelle; Andersson, Maria; Galetti, Valeria (2025)
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Background/Objectives Iron deficiency in women of childbearing age remains a public health challenge, but prevalence data in high-income countries is scarce and the role of predictors remains uncertain. We determined the prevalence of iron deficiency in women in Switzerland and assessed the influence of BMI, inflammation, and age on iron status. In addition, we determined the ferritin concentration below which hemoglobin (Hb) starts to decline. Subjects/Methods This is a secondary, pooled data analysis including data from 26 studies conducted in Switzerland between 2009 and 2020. Participants were a convenience sample of generally healthy women aged between 18 and 54 years (n = 2709). Results The prevalence of iron deficiency in women (median 23.3 years; IQR: 21.1–26.4) was 18.9%, while 4.7% of the women were anemic and 3.3% were iron deficient anemic. The prevalence of overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) was 7.2%, and 1.4% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2); 8.9% suffered from acute inflammation (CRP ≥ 5 mg/l). In multivariate regression analysis, BMI and age were positive predictors of ferritin (p < 0.001), while inflammation was not. Correcting iron status for inflammation had a negligible effect on the prevalence of iron deficiency. We observed a decrease in Hb below a ferritin concentration of 28.5 µg/l. Conclusions In this convenience sample of young women in Switzerland, one in five was iron deficient and one in 30 was anemic due to iron deficiency. Controlling ferritin concentrations for inflammation did not substantially affect the prevalence of iron deficiency, indicating that such corrections are redundant in a healthy population with a low prevalence of inflammation. Impaired erythropoiesis was observed when the ferritin concentration fell below 28.5 µg/l, providing further evidence for a physiologically based ferritin threshold to identify the onset of iron-deficient erythropoiesis.
Maternal iron kinetics and maternal-fetal iron transfer in normal-weight and overweight pregnancy
Stoffel, Nicole U.; Zimmermann, Michael B.; Cepeda-Lopez, Ana C.; et al. (2022)
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Background: Inflammation during pregnancy may aggravate iron deficiency (ID) by increasing serum hepcidin and reducing iron absorption. This could restrict iron transfer to the fetus, increasing risk of infant ID and its adverse effects. Objectives We aimed to assess whether iron bioavailability and/or iron transfer to the fetus is impaired in overweight/obese (OW) pregnant women with adiposity-related inflammation, compared with normal-weight (NW) pregnant women.
Effectiveness of increased salt iodine concentration on iodine status: trend analysis of cross-sectional national studies in Switzerland
Andersson, Maria; Hunziker, Sandra; Fingerhut, Ralph; et al. (2020)
European Journal of Nutrition
Dried blood spot thyroglobulin as a biomarker of iodine status in pregnant women
Stinca, Sara; Andersson, Maria; Weibel, Sandra; et al. (2017)
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Context: Thyroglobulin (Tg) could be a sensitive biomarker of iodine nutrition in pregnant women (PW). A dried blood spot (DBS) assay would simplify collection and transport in field studies. Objectives: Our aims were to (1) establish and test a reference range for DBS-Tg in PW; (2) determine whether co-measurement of Tg antibodies (Abs) is necessary to define population iodine status. Design, Setting, and Participants: Standardized cross-sectional studies of 3870 PW from 11 countries. For the DBS-Tg reference range, we included TgAb-negative PW (n = 599) from 3 countries with sufficient iodine intake. Main Outcome Measures: We measured the urinary iodine concentration and DBS thyroid-stimulating hormone, total thyroxin, Tg, and TgAb. Results: In the reference population, the median DBS-Tg was 9.2 μg/L (95% confidence interval, 8.7 to 9.8 μg/L) and was not significantly different among trimesters. The reference range was 0.3 to 43.5 μg/L. Over a range of iodine intake, the Tg concentrations were U-shaped. Within countries, the median DBS-Tg and the presence of elevated DBS-Tg did not differ significantly between all PW and PW who were TgAb-negative. Conclusions: A median DBS-Tg of ∼10 μg/L with <3% of values ≥44 μg/L indicated population iodine sufficiency. Concurrent measurement of TgAb did not appear necessary to assess the population iodine status.
The Potential of Prebiotic and Probiotic Supplementation During Obese Pregnancy to Improve Maternal and Offspring’s Metabolic Health and Reduce Obesity Risk—A Narrative Review
Wiedmer, Eliane B.; Herter-Aeberli, Isabelle (2022)
Frontiers in Nutrition
Worldwide, obesity prevalence is rising, severely impairing the health of those affected by increasing their risk for developing non-communicable diseases. The pathophysiology of obesity is complex and caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Recent findings suggest that obesity is partly caused by dysbiosis, an imbalanced gut microbiome. In the context of pregnancy, maternal dysbiosis increases the child’s obesity risk, causing an intergenerational cycle of obesity. Accordingly, interventions modulating the gut microbiome have the potential to interrupt this cycle. This review discusses the potential of pre- and probiotic interventions in modulating maternal obesity associated dysbiosis to limit the child’s obesity risk. The literature search resulted in four animal studies using prebiotics as well as one animal study and six human studies using probiotics. Altogether, prebiotic supplementation in animals successfully decreased the offspring’s obesity risk, while probiotic supplementation in humans failed to show positive impacts in the offspring. However, comparability between studies is limited and considering the complexity of the topic, more studies in this field are required.
General and abdominal adiposity and hypertension in eight world regions: a pooled analysis of 837 population-based studies with 7.5 million participants
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC); Zhou, Bin; Herter-Aeberli, Isabelle; et al. (2024)
The Lancet
Background: Adiposity can be measured using BMI (which is based on weight and height) as well as indices of abdominal adiposity. We examined the association between BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) within and across populations of different world regions and quantified how well these two metrics discriminate between people with and without hypertension. Methods: We used data from studies carried out from 1990 to 2023 on BMI, WHtR and hypertension in people aged 20–64 years in representative samples of the general population in eight world regions. We graphically compared the regional distributions of BMI and WHtR, and calculated Pearson's correlation coefficients between BMI and WHtR within each region. We used mixed-effects linear regression to estimate the extent to which WHtR varies across regions at the same BMI. We graphically examined the prevalence of hypertension and the distribution of people who have hypertension both in relation to BMI and WHtR, and we assessed how closely BMI and WHtR discriminate between participants with and without hypertension using C-statistic and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Findings: The correlation between BMI and WHtR ranged from 0·76 to 0·89 within different regions. After adjusting for age and BMI, mean WHtR was highest in south Asia for both sexes, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. Mean WHtR was lowest in central and eastern Europe for both sexes, in the high-income western region for women, and in Oceania for men. Conversely, to achieve an equivalent WHtR, the BMI of the population of south Asia would need to be, on average, 2·79 kg/m² (95% CI 2·31–3·28) lower for women and 1·28 kg/m² (1·02–1·54) lower for men than in the high-income western region. In every region, hypertension prevalence increased with both BMI and WHtR. Models with either of these two adiposity metrics had virtually identical C-statistics and NRIs for every region and sex, with C-statistics ranging from 0·72 to 0·81 and NRIs ranging from 0·34 to 0·57 in different region and sex combinations. When both BMI and WHtR were used, performance improved only slightly compared with using either adiposity measure alone. Interpretation: BMI can distinguish young and middle-aged adults with higher versus lower amounts of abdominal adiposity with moderate-to-high accuracy, and both BMI and WHtR distinguish people with or without hypertension. However, at the same BMI level, people in south Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa, have higher WHtR than in the other regions. Funding: UK Medical Research Council and UK Research and Innovation (Innovate UK).
Effects of exergame training combined with omega-3 fatty acids on the elderly brain: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Schättin, Alexandra; Baier, Corinne; Mai, Domenique; et al. (2019)
BMC Geriatrics
Background Older adults often suffer from age- and behavior-related brain changes affecting neuronal functioning and, therefore, cognitive and motor functions. The improvement of these functions might decrease falls and improve mobility. Previous studies indicate that video game-based physical exercise, so-called exergames, or omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) improve motor and cognitive functioning through brain adaptations. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exergame training combined with fish oil supplementation on neuronal system levels in the brain and behavioral measurements in older adults. We hypothesized that the combination would differently affect these factors compared to the sole administration of exergame. Methods Fifty-eight participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups (N = 29 each group) in a parallel, double-blind, randomized controlled trial lasting 26 weeks. The experimental group received daily fish oil, whereas the control group received daily olive oil. After 16 weeks, both groups started with an exergame training. Measurements were performed pre, during, and post intervention. Primary outcomes were recruitment curves using transcranial magnetic stimulation and response-locked potentials using electroencephalography. Secondary outcomes included executive functions and gait parameters. Blood samples were taken to control for FAs. Results Forty-three individuals (mean age 69.4 ± 4.6 years) completed the study (Nexperimental = 22, Ncontrol = 21). The results showed no significant time × group interaction effects for any parameters. Blood samples demonstrated significant time × group interaction effects. Post-hoc tests showed a significant increase of omega-3 FAs (p < .001) and a significant decrease of omega-6 FAs (p < .001) for the experimental group. Conclusion The combination of exergame training and fish oil did not lead to additional beneficial effects. To trigger possible effects, future studies should carefully consider study design aspects; e.g. study duration, individual nutritional supplementation dose, omega-3 FAs supplementation composition, and placebo. Furthermore, studies should consider neuroimaging methods as these might be more sensitive to assess early brain adaptations. Thus, future studies should be aware of several aspects running a combinatory study that includes omega-3 FAs according to their expected effects.
A test to measure oral iron absorption and glucose tolerance simultaneously in 18 to 55 year old premenopausal women
El-Helou, Nehmat; El-Mallah, Carla; Wehbe, Nour; et al. (2021)
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
Background & aims: Several methods are available to measure iron absorption (IA). The oral iron absorption test (OIAT) measures IA based on a change in serum iron (ΔSeFe) concentration after an oral iron dose. The objective of this study was to validate the OIAT by comparing it to the reference method of fractional iron absorption (FIA) using red blood cell incorporation of stable iron isotopes from a labeled iron dose. A second objective was to assess whether the OIAT could be done simultaneously with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), since iron deficiency and glucose intolerance may coexist, especially among overweight individuals with low-grade inflammation. Methods: In this prospective experimental study, 116 women were enrolled and IA was measured using two different approaches 1) FIA from a labeled test meal containing 6 mg of 57Fe and 2) the OIAT assessing ΔSeFe at 2 h after the intake of 100 mg oral iron, done simultaneously with an OGTT. Markers of iron status, glycaemia and inflammation, and serum hepcidin, were measured. Results: Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency (defined as low serum ferritin) were 21% and 14%, respectively. ΔSeFe during the OIAT-OGTT was positively associated with FIA (r = 0.578, p < 0.001). ΔSeFe was not significantly correlated with markers of glucose and insulin metabolism during the OIAT-OGTT. Conclusions: The combined OIAT and OGTT method described here correlates well with FIA measured by stable iron isotopes, and could provide information on both IA and glucose tolerance in a single 2-h test, decreasing the burden on patients. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 03642223). © 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism

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Isabelle Herter-Aeberli

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