Search

OBJECTIVE--The objective of the study was to determine the association between child BMI at age 3 years and maternal glucose concentration among women without pre-existing diabetes or a gestational diabetes [...]

Background: Most pregnant women gain more weight than the ranges recommended. Excessive weight gain is linked to pregnancy complications and to long-term maternal and child health outcomes. Objective: The objective was to examine the impact of dietary glycemic load and energy density on total gestational weight gain and the weight gain ratio (observed weight gain/expected weight gain). Design: Data are from 1231 women with singleton pregnancies who participated in the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Cohort Study. Dietary information was collected at 26-29 wk of gestation with the use of a semiquantified food-frequency questionnaire. Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between quartiles of glycemic load and energy density with total gestational weight gain and weight gain ratio. Results: Dietary patterns of pregnant women significantly differed across many sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, with the greatest contrasts seen for glycemic load. After adjustment for covariates, compared with women in the first quartile consuming a mean dietary energy density of 0.71 kcal/g (reference), women in the third quartile consuming a mean energy density of 0.98 kcal/g gained an excess of 1.13 kg (95% CI: 0.24, 2.01), and women in the fourth quartile consuming a mean energy density of 1.21 kcal/g gained an excess of 1.08 kg (95% CI: 0.20, 1.97) and had an increase of 0.13 (95% CI: 0.006, 0.24) units in the weight gain ratio. All other comparisons of energy intakes were not statistically significant. Glycemic load was not associated with total gestational weight gain or weight gain ratio. Conclusion: Dietary energy density is a modifiable factor that may assist pregnant women in managing gestational weight gains.

Phthalates are associated with several adverse health outcomes, but few studies have evaluated phthalate exposures in Mexican populations, particularly pregnant women. Between 2007 and 2011, 948 pregnant women from Mexico City were recruited as part of the PROGRESS cohort. We quantified 17 metabolites of phthalates and phthalate alternatives in urine samples collected during the second and third trimesters and examined temporal trends of metabolite concentrations, within-person reproducibility, and relations of individual metabolites with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and occupational factors. Concentrations of mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl terephthalate, a metabolite of the alternative phthalate di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate, increased monotonically from 2007 to 2010 (31% per year; 95% confidence interval = 23 and 39%). We observed moderate to high correlations among metabolites collected at the same visit, but there was high variability between second and third trimester phthalate metabolite concentrations (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.17–0.35). In general, higher socioeconomic status was associated with higher phthalate concentrations. Some metabolites were associated with maternal age and education, but no consistent patterns were observed. Women working in the home and those who worked in administration had higher concentrations of several phthalate metabolites relative to students, professionals, and those in customer service. Biomonitoring efforts are warranted to investigate present and future exposure trends and patterns.

Diet is critical for pregnant individuals and their offspring, but insight into diet during pregnancy mainly comes from questionnaires and recalls.

•Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet intake may reduce the risk of severe coronary artery calcification score among South Asians.•Men may particularly benefit from DASH diet adherence.•DASH diet may reduce the risk of early predictors of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk among South Asians.

Introduction:South Asians (SA) are a growing population group in the US that remain understudied in research despite their high cardiometabolic risk. Compared to other ethnic groups, SA experience cardiometabolic disease onset at a younger age, and have higher abdominal, visceral and hepatic fat despite lower BMI. SA in the US have a unique dietary pattern characterized by a combination of traditional and western food items. Examining the dietary pattern of SA in relation to central adiposity may provide a tenable strategy for disease prevention and treatment.Hypothesis:We assessed the hypothesis that higher DASH diet score is associated with lower central adiposity, indicated by visceral fat area and hepatic attenuation measurements, among SA in the US.Methods:Using baseline data from 822 adults enrolled in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study, we computed a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) concordance score from the FFQ validated to measure diet of South Asians in North America. Using an established method, score concordance was based on 8 components including high intake of fruit, vegetables, nuts/legumes, low-fat dairy products, whole grains; and low intake of sodium, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red/processed meats. We examined the association between the DASH score and its components with CT imaging of visceral fat area and hepatic attenuation (higher score indicates lower liver fat).Results:The overall DASH score among participants ranged from 13-35 (mean ± SD, 24.6 ± 4.4). Hepatic attenuation was 5 HU higher among participants in the highest category DASH score compared to the lowest (aβ (SE): 5 (1), 95% CI: 2, 7) in the age-adjusted model. The relationship was not significant in the fully adjusted model. Visceral fat area was 13.6 cm2lower among participants in the highest category of DASH score compared to the lowest (aβ (SE): -3.6 (5.1), 95% CI: -23.5, -3.7) in the model adjusted for age, sex, percent of life in US, education, BMI, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, and energy intake. When examining individual components of DASH, participants with the highest intake of low-fat dairy had hepatic attenuation 3 HU higher than those with the lowest intake, and those with the lowest intake of red/processed meat had hepatic attenuation 2 HU higher in the fully adjusted model. Participants with the lowest red/processed meat intake had visceral fat area that was 11 cm2lower in the fully adjusted model.Conclusions:In conclusion, our results indicate that greater adherence to DASH and some of its individual components is associated with favorable abdominal fat areas among a sample of SA adults in the US. These findings support the relationship between diet and abdominal fat accretion. Forthcoming analyses will use the DASH score to further elucidate the diet-disease relationship among SA in the US.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Introduction:In the United States (U.S.), 18% of women age 18-44 years report at least one physical, sensory, or cognitive disability. Compared to the general population, women with disabilities are more likely to have multiple comorbidities and experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Diet and physical activity are important and modifiable lifestyle behaviors for women’s preconception and long-term health, as well as the health of their offspring. This study examined diet quality, physical activity, and related lifestyle factors among women of reproductive age by disability status and disability type.Hypothesis:Diet quality, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors will differ across disability status.Methods:Data were from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2018 (n=3,409). Disability status was determined by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics questions regarding difficulty hearing, seeing, concentrating, walking, dressing, or running errands alone. Diet quality was evaluated using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015, with higher scores indicating better diet quality. Self-reported physical activity, food security, and fast food and ready-to-eat food consumption were also assessed. Chi-square tests and generalized linear regression evaluated differences across disability status and disability type.Results:Compared to women with no disabilities, women with any self-reported disabilities had lower HEI-2015 scores (46.8 and 50.5, respectively; p<0.05), were more likely to report low/very low food security (48% and 18%, respectively; p<0.05), and were less likely to report meeting physical activity recommendations of ≥150 minutes/week of moderate/vigorous activities (27% and 43%, respectively; p<0.05). Differences were also observed by disability type, such that women with self-reported vision difficulty consume more fast food meals in one week compared to women with no disabilities.Conclusions:Women of reproductive age with disabilities report lower diet quality, food security, and physical activity. Future research should focus on identifying and improving modifiable lifestyle behaviors among this population to reduce disparities in maternal and child health outcomes.