Childhood and Adolescence

Generation Healthy Kids is a research project aiming at promoting healthy weight, healthier habits and thriving among Danish children.

A core activity is a cluster-randomized controlled multisetting, multicomponent trial involving approx. 2000 children aged 8-11 years at 23 schools and local communities across Denmark, during 2023-2025.

At the 12 intervention schools and local communities there are intervention components focusing on food and nutrition (including healthy school meals), physical activity, sleep and digital behaviours and targeted at the schools, families, local supermarkets etc.

At the 11 control schools there are no interventions. Thorough measurements of body composition, wellbeing, diet, physical activity, cognitive function, cardiometabolic health etc. are being conducted at all schools at baseline and after 1 and 2 school years.

Read more about Generation Healthy Kids here (Danish)

Study period: April 2022 – April 2026.

Collaborators

Generation Healthy Kids is a partnership between:

• Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen
• Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark
• National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark
• Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital
• Department of Prevention, Health Promotion and Community Care, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

Associate Professor Camilla T. Damsgaard from Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen leads the workpackages on Diet and Nutrition (WP2) and Measurements (WP6).

Funding

Generation Healthy Kids is supported with 80 million DKK from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Read more about More2sleep here (Danish)

Childhood underweight, as indicated by low body mass index (BMI) for age and sex, is prevalent in Denmark.

Despite the U-shaped associations between BMI and morbidity in adults and the well-known negative health impacts of underweight among children in low-income countries, underweight in children is largely overlooked in high-income countries, due to an unequivocal focus on overweight.

In this PhD project, we will triangulate data from two well-characterized cohorts,

The Danish National Birth Cohort and OPUS School Meal Study, and the nationally representative Children's Database to

1) investigate the sociodemographic characteristics and childhood development of underweight among children in Denmark,

2) compare the nutritional status, physical activity, body composition, growth, bone health and cardiometabolic health of children with underweight and normalweight and

3) examine if underweight is associated with increased risk of eating disorders and other indicators of poor mental health and wellbeing in school-aged children.

We anticipate that that the results will help define and promote a healthy weight in childhood by elucidating whether underweight constitutes a health problem in Denmark and showing whether there are subgroups or characteristics of underweight that need special attention.

This knowledge can be used by public authorities, health practitioners and parents to promote and support healthy weight development in childhood.

Involved in the project

PhD student Anne Aurup, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen

Associate Professor Camilla T. Damsgaard (PI), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen

Associate Professor Katrine Strandberg-Larsen (co-PI), Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen

MSc Public Health, PhD Lau Caspar Thygesen (Collaborator), National Institute of Public Health (SIF), University of Southern Denmark

Funder

Novo Nordisk Foundation

The research project was conducted in 2019-2023 and has been completed.

In the randomized cross-over trial KORN we investigated the effects of wholegrain oat and rye og cardiometabolic health, gut microbiota and cognitive function in 8-13-year-old children with high BMI. 

By use of data from two of our infant cohorts, we also investigated how much wholegrain Danish children consume at 9 and 18 months of age, and whether it is associated with their growth and metabolic profile. 

The project was headed by Associate Professor Camilla T. Damsgaard.

Read more about KORN here (Danish).

Results

Scientific publications from the project:

Madsen MTB, Landberg R, Nielsen DS, Zhang Y, Anneberg OMR, Lauritzen L and Damsgaard CT. Effects of Wholegrain Compared to Refined Grain Intake on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers, Gut Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children: A Randomized Crossover Trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 119:18-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02902-2

Madsen MTBM, Biltoft-Jensen AP, Trolle E, Lauritzen L, Michaelsen KF and Damsgaard CT. Wholegrain intake, growth and metabolic markers in Danish infants and toddlers. Eur J Nutr 2022; 61:3545-3557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02902-2

Collaborators

National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, and Chalmers Technical University, Sweden.

Funding

The study was funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark – Health and Disease. Grain products were delivered by Lantmännen, Semper AB, REMA 1000, Il Fornaio, Barilla and Skærtoft Mølle.

The research project was conducted in 2018-2022 and has been completed.

The aim was to investigate whether dairy protein and vitamin D affects bone mineralization, growth, muscle strength, body composition, cardioemtabolic health, and risk of respiratory infections in 6-8 year-old children. The project was a randomized controlled 2x2 factorial study where 200 healthy children were randomly allocated to receive dairy products with either high (skyr) or regular (yoghurt) content of dairy protein as well as to tablets with either vitamin D or placebo for 24 weeks. The study was conducted during winter 2019-2020 to avoid vitamin D from the sun.

The project was headed by Associate Professor Camilla T. Damsgaard and Professor Christian Mølgaard.

Read more about D-pro here (Danish) 

Results

Scientific publications from the project:

Nanna G Stounbjerg, Line Thams, Mette Hansen, Anni Larnkjær, Julia W Clerico, Kevin D Cashman, Christian Mølgaard, Camilla T Damsgaard. Effects of vitamin D and high dairy protein intake on bone mineralization and linear growth in 6- to 8-year-old children: the D-pro randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2021; 114: 1971-1985.

Thams, L., Stounbjerg, N. G., Hvid, L. G., Mølgaard, C., Hansen, M. & Damsgaard, C. T. Effects of high dairy protein intake and vitamin D supplementation on body composition and cardiometabolic markers in 6-8-y-old children - the D-pro trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2022; 115: 1080-1091.

Thams, L., Hvid, L. G., Stounbjerg, N. G., Brønd, J. C., Mølgaard, C., Damsgaard, C. T. & Hansen, M. Vitamin D supplementation and increased dairy protein intake do not affect muscle strength or physical function in healthy 6–8-year-old children: the D-pro randomized trial. European Journal of Nutrition 2022; 61: 3613-3623. 

Thams, L., Hvid, L. G., Damsgaard, C. T. & Hansen, M. Test-retest reliability of muscle strength and physical function tests in 6–9-year-old children. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science 2021; 25: 379-387.

Collaborators

The study was led by researchers from Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen. Collaborators were Aarhus University, Arla Foods Amba, and Arla Foods Ingredients. Tablets were donated by Oy Verman Ab, Finland.

Funding

The study was funded by Arla Food for Health. The responsible researchers had no conflicts of interests or economical relations to the funder.

The research project was conducted in 2016-2020 and has been completed.

In the randomized 12-week trial FiSK Junior, we investigated the effects of oily fish versus poultry (approx. 300 g/week) on cardiometabolic markers, cognitive function and mental wellbeing in 200 Danish 8-9-year-old children.

The trial was part of a larger research and communication project, FiSK, which also included national digital exhibitions and events, with the aim of providing knowledge about fish recommendations and health, and fun experiences with fish as food. The project also included a citizen science element where guests at Danish aquariums could contribute to a novel Danish dietary survey by answering simple questions about their fish intake habits and preferences.

The research project was headed by Associate Professor Camilla T. Damsgaard.

Read more about FiSK Junior here (Danish)

Results

Scientific publications from the project:

Madsen MTB, Landberg R, Nielsen DS, Zhang Y, Anneberg OMR, Lauritzen L and Damsgaard CT. Effects of Wholegrain Compared to Refined Grain Intake on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers, Gut Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children: A Randomized Crossover Trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 119:18-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02902-2

Madsen MTBM, Biltoft-Jensen AP, Trolle E, Lauritzen L, Michaelsen KF and Damsgaard CT. Wholegrain intake, growth and metabolic markers in Danish infants and toddlers. Eur J Nutr 2022; 61:3545-3557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-022-02902-2

Collaborators

• Kattegatcentret in Grenaa
• Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet in Esbjerg
• Nordsøen Oceanarium in Hirtshals
• Den Blå Planet in Copenhagen
• National Food Institute, Techhnical University of Denmark

Funding

FiSK was supported by Nordea-fonden with 18 million DKK.

Fish and poultry for the FiSK Junior trial were delivered by Skagenfood A/S, Sødam via gaardmester.dk, Amanda Seafoods A/S and REMA1000.