Association of Dietary Change during Pregnancy with Large-for-Gestational Age Births: A Prospective Observational Study.

Being born with large birthweight is considered as a risk of non-communicable diseases later in life. However, it is not fully understood what kind of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy affect large birthweight. Therefore, we examined the association of dietary intakes and its changes during pregnancy with large-for-gestational-age (LGA) births in Japanese pregnant women. In the prospective study, 245 pregnant women who visited Kyoto Medical Center were enrolled. Nutrition survey using brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ) at all trimester was completed in 171 pregnant women. Based on birthweight and gestational age, participants were divided into three groups, such as small-for-gestational-age (<10th, SGA, n=17), appropriate-for-gestational-age (≥10th and <90th, AGA, n=144), and LGA (≥90th, n=10) groups. Compared with those without LGA births, mothers with LGA births showed: 1) greater weight gain during pregnancy (LGA: 14.0±3.2 kg, AGA: 9.9±3.9 kg, SGA: 8.4±3.1 kg, p<0.05); 2) higher energy intake throughout pregnancy (LGA: 310±368 kcal, AGA: 7±490 kcal, SGA: -97±293 kcal, p<0.05); 3) larger changes in plant oil and sucrose consumptions from the 1st to 2nd trimester, probably due to the results of greater consumption of bread, Western confectionery, Japanese confectionery, and mayonnaise and dressing during the same period (p<0.05, respectively). Our results suggest that higher energy intake throughout pregnancy, as well as greater consumption of plant oil and sucrose from the first to second trimester could be associated with LGA births.