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Background Maternal antioxidants intake and plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) concentration during pregnancy might influence on birth outcomes. This study was conducted to determine the association between dietary antioxidants intake and plasma TAC during pregnancy with birth outcomes. Methods Overall, 220 mother–infant pairs were recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal whole blood was collected and TAC was determined by the ELISA kit. Food frequency questionnaire was used to collect information regarding usual dietary intake. Birth size measurements including birth weight, length and head circumference were measured according to standardized protocols. Results Energy-adjusted intake of beta-carotene in the first trimester of gestation [beta (SE) = 0.0002 (0.00008); p  = 0.016] and energy-adjusted intake of vitamin E in third trimester of pregnancy [beta (SE) = −0.31 (0.15); p  = 0.046] had significantly positive and negative associations with birth length, respectively. The maternal plasma TAC was positively correlated with birth weight in both unadjusted and adjusted models [beta (SE) = 2.75 (1.35); p  = 0.043 and beta (SE) = 3.43 (1.50); p  = 0.023, respectively]. In addition, the adjusted model showed a significant positive relationship between the maternal plasma TAC and birth length [beta (SE) = 0.023 (0.009); p  = 0.01]. Conclusion This study showed the positive association of maternal plasma TAC with birth weight and length. Moreover, maternal dietary intake of beta-carotene in the first trimester and vitamin E in the third trimester of pregnancy had significant positive and negative correlations with birth length, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Previous studies suggested that neck circumference (NC) as a new, simple, and valuable tool for the measuring obesity. However, the results of studies regarding the relationship between blood lipids and neck circumference were inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the association between NC and lipid profiles in adults. Methods and results PubMed and Scopus electronic databases were searched until 30 June 2018 to find articles that reported the association between NC and blood lipids. Mean serum lipids and variables contributed to heterogeneity were extracted. Sources of inter-study heterogeneity were determined by subgroup analysis. Of 2490 publications identi- fied, 33 studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. We found an inverse correlation between NC and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C; overall Fisher's Z = -0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.21, -0.15]. Furthermore, we found positive associations between NC and total cholesterol (TC; overall Fisher's Z = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.06, 0.16), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; overall Fisher's Z = 0.1; 95% CI = -0.04, 0.16), and triglyceride (TG; overall Fisher's Z = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.17, 0.25) in men. Neck circumference was directly correlated to TC (overall Fisher's Z = 0.1; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.19) and LDL-C (overall Fisher's Z = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.12, 0.20) in healthy and unhealthy women, respectively. There was no correlation between NC and serum concentration of TC (overall Fisher's Z = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.02, 0.03) and LDL-C (overall Fisher's Z = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.16) in unhealthy and healthy women, respectively. Conclusion Higher NC in unhealthy men was strongly indirectly associated with HDL-C, and directly related to LDL-C, TG, and TC. In unhealthy women, higher NC was inversely associated with HDL and directly related to LDL-C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]