Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch, Division of Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Dr., MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 2204 McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB# 7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Nutrients. 2022 Sep 22;14(19):3933. doi: 10.3390/nu14193933.
Low diet quality during pregnancy and postpartum is associated with numerous adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. This study examined relations of ultra-processed food intake with diet quality during pregnancy and postpartum. Using data from 24-h recalls, ultra-processed food intake was operationalized as percent energy intake from NOVA-classified ultra-processed foods; diet quality was measured using Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI) total and component scores. Pearson correlations examined associations of ultra-processed food intake with HEI total and component scores, and food group intake was compared across four levels of ultra-processed food intake. On average, ultra-processed food comprised 52.6 ± 15.1% (mean ± SD) of energy intake in pregnancy and 50.6 ± 16.6% in postpartum. Ultra-processed food intake was inversely correlated with HEI total and 8 of 13 component scores. Compared to participants with the highest ultra-processed food intake (≥60% energy), those with the lowest ultra-processed food intake (<40% energy) had a 17.6-point higher HEI total score and consumed 2−3 times more fruit, vegetables, and seafood and plant proteins, and 1½ times more total protein. Additionally, they consumed 2/3 as much refined grains and 1/2 as much added sugar. Greater ultra-processed food intake was associated with lower diet quality across most HEI components. Reducing ultra-processed food intake may broadly improve adherence to dietary guidelines in pregnant and postpartum populations.
孕期和产后饮食质量低与许多母婴健康不良结局有关。本研究探讨了超加工食品摄入与孕期和产后饮食质量的关系。使用 24 小时回忆数据，将超加工食品的摄入量定义为 NOVA 分类的超加工食品占能量摄入的百分比；饮食质量采用 2015 年健康饮食指数（HEI）总得分和各成分得分进行测量。Pearson 相关分析考察了超加工食品摄入量与 HEI 总得分和各成分得分的相关性，并比较了超加工食品摄入量处于四个水平时的食物组摄入量。平均而言，超加工食品占孕期能量摄入的 52.6±15.1%（均值±标准差），占产后能量摄入的 50.6±16.6%。超加工食品摄入量与 HEI 总得分和 13 个成分得分中的 8 个呈负相关。与超加工食品摄入量最高（≥60%能量）的参与者相比，超加工食品摄入量最低（<40%能量）的参与者 HEI 总得分高 17.6 分，水果、蔬菜和海鲜及植物蛋白摄入量多 2-3 倍，总蛋白质摄入量多 1 倍半。此外，他们还摄入了 2/3 的精制谷物和 1/2 的添加糖。超加工食品摄入量越高，与大多数 HEI 成分的饮食质量越低相关。减少超加工食品的摄入可能会广泛改善孕期和产后人群对饮食指南的依从性。
