A comprehensive profiling of offspring circulating lipids, lipoproteins, and metabolites was done by a high-throughput NMR metabolomics platform, providing a snapshot of offspring serum metabolome at follow-up [20 (link),21 (link)]. In ALSPAC, offspring metabolic traits were assessed on fasting (minimum 6 hours) plasma at 2 ages (mean ages of 15.5 and 17.8), and we used data from either of these. As we were interested in lasting effects into reproductive years, we prioritised measures from the older age follow-up and used the earlier measures only for participants who did not have measures at mean age 17.8. Mean age at assessment in the whole cohort after using both time points was 17. Participants of both NFBCs fasted overnight before serum collection on the morning of clinic attendance (8 to 11 AM) at mean age 16 (NFBC86) and 31 (NFBC66) years.
Collectively, the 153 metabolic traits measured by the platform represent a broad molecular signature of systemic metabolism [20 (link),21 (link)]. The platform provided simultaneous quantification of lipoprotein lipids and subclasses, FAs and FA compositions, ketone bodies, amino acids, as well as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis-related metabolites in absolute concentration units. This platform has been applied in various large-scale epidemiological and genetic studies [22 (link)–25 (link)]; the detailed protocol, including information on quality control, has been published elsewhere [21 (link),26 (link)] and more information is given in S1 Text.
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