Pediatric Emergency Department and General Pediatrics, 'Bambino Gesù' Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00164 Rome, Italy.
Diabetology and Growth Disorders Unit, 'Bambino Gesù' Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00164 Rome, Italy.
Nutrients. 2022 Apr 22;14(9):1752. doi: 10.3390/nu14091752.
Linear growth is a complex process and is considered one of the best indicators of children's well-being and health. Genetics, epigenetics and environment (mainly stress and availability of nutrients) are the main regulators of growth. Nutrition exerts its effects on growth throughout the course of life with different, not completely understood mechanisms. Cells have a sophisticated sensing system, which allows growth processes to occur in the presence of an adequate nutrient availability. Most of the nutritional influence on growth is mediated by hormonal signals, in turn sensitive to nutritional cues. Both macro- and micro-nutrients are required for normal growth, as demonstrated by the impairment of growth occurring when their intake is insufficient. Clinical conditions characterized by abnormal nutritional status, including obesity and eating disorders, are associated with alterations of growth pattern, confirming the tight link between growth and nutrition. The precise molecular mechanisms connecting nutrition to linear growth are far from being fully understood and further studies are required. A better understanding of the interplay between nutrients and the endocrine system will allow one to develop more appropriate and effective nutritional interventions for optimizing child growth.
线性生长是一个复杂的过程，被认为是儿童健康和幸福的最佳指标之一。遗传学、表观遗传学和环境（主要是压力和营养物质的可获得性）是生长的主要调节因素。营养物质通过不同的、尚未完全理解的机制在整个生命周期中对生长发挥作用。细胞有一个复杂的感应系统，使生长过程在有足够营养物质供应的情况下发生。营养物质对生长的大部分影响是通过激素信号介导的，而这些信号反过来又对营养信号敏感。宏量营养素和微量营养素对正常生长都是必需的，因为摄入不足会导致生长受损。临床条件下的异常营养状况，包括肥胖和饮食失调，与生长模式的改变有关，这证实了生长和营养之间的紧密联系。将营养与线性生长联系起来的精确分子机制远未完全理解，需要进一步研究。更好地理解营养素和内分泌系统之间的相互作用将有助于开发更合适、更有效的营养干预措施，以优化儿童生长。
