About the Project : Workpackages

WORKPACKAGE 1: Generation R:  Led by Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands

WP1 is making use of existing data on 7000 pregnant women and their children from the Generation R study.  WP1 is examining the effects of maternal intake of proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants on behavioural and cognitive development at ages 3 and 5.

WORKPACKAGE 2: The ALSPAC study: Led by University of Bristol, UK.

WP2 is building on work undertaken by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).  Data from ALSPAC has shown that higher dietary fish intake of women during pregnancy is associated with improved behaviour in children at the age of 6-7 years (Hibbeln et al 2007). The NUTRIMENTHE project proposes that this relationship is explained by the effects of enhanced concentrations of LC-PUFAs in tissues of the foetus and/or the child.

WORKPACKAGE 3: NUHEAL follow-up: Led by University of Granada, Spain.

WP3 is investigating whether, during childhood, there are long-term effects on cognitive development and mental performance as a consequence of docosahexaneoic acid (DHA) and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. This workpackage is conducting a long-term follow-up of the 270 children whose mothers were participants in the NUHEAL Project.

WORKPACKAGE 4: CHOP follow-up:  Led by University Rovira I Virgili, Spain

WP4 is analysing the effect of different protein intakes during the first 12 months of life on cognitive development and behaviour in boys and girls at 8.5 years old who were participants in CHOP.

WORKPACKAGE 5: The SIMBA study – cognitive effects of nutrients:  Led by Unilever, The Netherlands.

WP5 is conducting a nutritional invention study to investigate the effects of providing iron, zinc, the vitamins B2, B6, B12, folate and LC-PUFAs on cognition and behaviour in school aged children.

WORKPACKAGE 6: The Phenylketonuria study: Led by the University of Munich.

WP6 will define a breakpoint of intake levels of LC-PUFAs beyond which a further increase of supply does not provide additional improvements of functional outcome.  WP6 is addressing this question by setting up a nutritional intervention study on school aged children with an inborn error of amino acid metabolism, phenylketonuria (PKU) as it appears unfeasible to address this question in healthy, omnivorous children.  As PKU children must follow a protein restricted diet, blood concentrations of LC-PUFA are reduced. Previous studies have established that neural function of PKU children is improved by high dose supplementation of LC-PUFA which significantly improved visual evoked potential (VEP) latencies (Beblo et al 2001, Agostoni et al 2000) and fine motor skills and coordination (Beblo et al 2007). WP6 aims to establish for the first time, quantitiative requirement for LC-PUFAs in children.

WORKPACKAGE 7: The development of a neurophsychological test battery: Led by the University of Granada, Spain.

In the different workpackages, mental performance is being measured after different nutritional interventions.  In order to compare the effects of these interventions it is important to use the same tests in all workpackages.  However, there are many neurophsychological tests for assessment of cognitive development and the availability of these tests in each European language is diverse.  For this reason, WP7 is developing a standardised battery of tests that can be used by all the countries involved

WORKPACKAGE 8: Genetic polymorphisms: Led by Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen German Centre for Environmental Health, Germany.

Data from several studies show that dietary intake of fish and/or LC-PUFAs is associated with improved behavioural and cognitive outcomes in infants and children, possibly due to enhanced concentrations of LC-PUFA in the foetus and/or child.  Tissue contents of LC-PUFAs may be influenced by placental supply during pregnancy, by dietary supply in infancy and be conversion of the essential precursor fatty acids.  However, common polymorphisms of the genes FADS2 and FADS1 that encode key enzymes regulating LC-PUFA synthesis, are associated with markedly reduced LC-PUFA plasma concentrations. Thus WP8 is assessing the relative importance of dietary fish intake and of genetic influences from FADS1 and FADS2 on LC-PUFA plasma contents and behavioural outcomes in children (WP2).

WORKPACKAGE 9: Biological analysis: Led by the University of Munich, Germany.

WP9 is providing cost effective analysis of the biological samples arising from those Nutrimenthe partners performing clinical trials. The biochemical status markers in question (B-vitamins, LC-PUFAs, trace elements, amino acids, endocrine markers) have to be analysed using different techniques.  Several thousand samples of blood or urine are being taken by partners performing nutritional studies thus it makes sense to provide central performance of the assays.  Standardised procedures can be followed and uniform documentation of the results can be provided. 

WORKPACKAGE 10: Consumer attitudes: Led by the University of Surrey, UK.

Health professionals play an important role in providing parents with information about breastfeeding, weaning and infant nutrition as well as influencing their understanding and knowledge of the long term effects on brain development of childhood diets. Little is known about whether the emergence of evidence of the relationship between early diet and later brain health has influenced the formulation and delivery of current advice on infant feeding practices in Europe. WP10 is providing the tools and information to address these issues and to understand how other stakeholders, (parents/carers, educators/ teachers and children), perceive that food affects children’s attention, sleep, motivation, effort and memory, and how that perception impacts on food choice. 

WORKPACKAGE 11: Economic analysis: Led by the Institute for Market Research, Strategy and Planning, Germany. 

WP11 is conducting a comprehensive health economic analysis of pre – and postnatal nutritional interventions with proven or proposed long-term programming effects on mental performance. Currently there is a lack of understanding on the effects of early nutrition on mental performance. Therefore, no firm dietary recommendations can be made based on the evidence available. The economic analysis will take into account the social costs and benefits deriving within the whole human lifecycle and calculate the economic impact for different European Member States.

WORKPACKAGE 12: Project Management: Led by the University of Granada, Spain. 

The ambitious objectives and large scale of NUTIRMENTHE requires an appropriately robust management structure. The management activities of the project are being carried-out by WP12,  which will also be responsible for consortium management, project task management and reporting requirements. 

WORKPACKAGE 13: Dissemination. Led by Beta Technology, UK.

WP13 focuses on dissemination and training. These activities are required both within the consortium itself and external to the project, ensuring that the outcomes of Nutrimenthe are communicated widely