Nickel Daniela Viktoria, Wibaek Rasmus, Friis Henrik, Wells Jonathan C K, Girma Tsinuel, Kaestel Pernille, Michaelsen Kim F, Admassu Bitiya, Abera Mubarek, Schulze Matthias B, Danquah Ina, Andersen Gregers S
Department of Molecular Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam- Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany.
Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025 Apr 2;25(1):386. doi: 10.1186/s12884-025-07256-1.
Malnutrition during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes, but the importance of maternal diet during pregnancy for neonatal body composition remains inconclusive. This study investigated the role of maternal diet during pregnancy for neonatal body composition in the Ethiopian iABC birth cohort.
The data stemmed from the first visit at birth comprising 644 mother-child pairs. Shortly after delivery, the diet of the last week of pregnancy was assessed by a non-quantitative and non-validated 18-items food frequency questionnaire. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data. Twin births and implausible values were excluded from analysis (n = 92). The Dietary Diversity Score (0-9 points) was constructed and exploratory dietary patterns were derived via principal component analysis. Neonatal fat mass and fat-free mass were assessed by air-displacement plethysmography. The associations of maternal Dietary Diversity Score and exploratory dietary patterns with gestational age, neonatal anthropometric measures and body composition were investigated using multiple-adjusted linear regression analysis.
In this cohort (n = 552), mean ± standard deviation (SD) mother's age was 24.1 ± 4.6 years and the median maternal Dietary Diversity Score was 6 (interquartile range = 5-7). An 'Animal-source food pattern' and a 'Vegetarian food pattern' were identified. The mean ± SD birth weight was 3096 ± 363 g and gestational age was 39.0 ± 1.0 weeks. Maternal adherence to the Animal-source food pattern, but not Vegetarian food pattern, was related to birth weight [79.5 g (95% confidence interval (CI): -14.6, 173.6)]. In the adjusted model, adherence to the Animal-source food pattern was associated with higher neonatal fat-free mass [53.1 g (95% CI: -20.3, 126.6)], while neonates of women with high compared to low adherence to Dietary Diversity Score and Vegetarian food pattern had higher fat mass [19.4 g (95% CI: -7.4, 46.2) and 33.5 g (95% CI: 2.8, 64.1), respectively].
In this Ethiopian population, maternal diet during pregnancy was associated with neonatal body composition. The analysis of body composition adds important detail to the evaluation of maternal dietary habits for the newborn constitution.
孕期营养不良与不良出生结局相关，但孕期母亲饮食对新生儿身体组成的重要性仍无定论。本研究在埃塞俄比亚iABC出生队列中调查了孕期母亲饮食对新生儿身体组成的作用。
数据来源于出生时的首次访视，包括644对母婴。分娩后不久，通过一份未经定量验证的包含18项内容的食物频率问卷评估孕期最后一周的饮食情况。采用多重填补法处理缺失数据。双胞胎分娩和不合理值被排除在分析之外（n = 92）。构建饮食多样性评分（0 - 9分），并通过主成分分析得出探索性饮食模式。采用空气置换体积描记法评估新生儿脂肪量和去脂体重。使用多重调整线性回归分析研究母亲饮食多样性评分和探索性饮食模式与胎龄、新生儿人体测量指标及身体组成之间的关联。
在该队列（n = 552）中，母亲的平均年龄±标准差为24.1±4.6岁，母亲饮食多样性评分的中位数为6（四分位间距 = 5 - 7）。确定了一种“动物源性食物模式”和一种“素食模式”。平均出生体重±标准差为3096±363g，胎龄为39.0±1.0周。母亲遵循动物源性食物模式而非素食模式与出生体重相关[79.5g（95%置信区间（CI）：-14.6，173.6）]。在调整模型中，遵循动物源性食物模式与较高的新生儿去脂体重相关[53.1g（95%CI：-20.3，126.6）]，而饮食多样性评分和素食模式依从性高的女性所生新生儿的脂肪量高于依从性低的女性所生新生儿[分别为19.4g（95%CI：-7.4，46.2）和33.5g（95%CI：2.8，64.1）]。
在这个埃塞俄比亚人群中，孕期母亲饮食与新生儿身体组成相关。身体组成分析为评估母亲饮食习惯对新生儿体质的影响增添了重要细节。
