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Maternal diet during pregnancy and carotid intima-media thickness in children
Catharine R Gale1, Benyu Jiang, Sian M Robinson
1MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton, UK. crg@mrc.soton.ac.uk
Insights
Maternal energy intake during pregnancy impacts child atherosclerosis risk. Lower maternal energy intake in early or late pregnancy was linked to increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in children, suggesting a higher susceptibility to atherogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Atherosclerosis, characterized by arterial intimal lipid accumulations, is often present from birth.
- The prenatal environment is implicated in atherosclerosis pathogenesis, as suggested by autopsy studies.
- Animal models indicate maternal diet influences offspring's atherosclerosis susceptibility, but human data is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and the development of atherosclerosis in children.
- To determine if maternal energy intake during gestation relates to early markers of atherosclerosis in offspring.
Main Methods:
- Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured in 216 nine-year-old children.
- Maternal dietary intake during pregnancy was assessed from a prior nutrition study.
- Statistical adjustments were made for child's sex, weight, blood pressure, and exercise levels.
Main Results:
- Increased IMT was observed in boys, heavier children, those with higher systolic blood pressure, and less active children.
- Lower maternal energy intake during early (P=0.029) and late (P=0.006) pregnancy correlated with increased IMT in children.
- Children of mothers with the lowest energy intake in late pregnancy had 0.027 mm greater mean IMT compared to those with the highest intake.
Conclusions:
- Reduced maternal energy consumption during pregnancy may heighten a child's susceptibility to developing atherosclerosis.
- Prenatal nutrition is a critical factor influencing long-term cardiovascular health and atherogenesis risk in offspring.
Objective:
Autopsy studies show that intimal lipid accumulations in arteries are often present at birth, suggesting that the prenatal environment plays a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In animal models, a restricted or unbalanced maternal diet during gestation can influence susceptibility to atherosclerosis, but the relation in humans between maternal diet during pregnancy and atherogenesis is unknown.
Methods And Results:
We measured carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in 216 nine-year-old children whose mothers had participated in a study of nutrition during pregnancy. IMT was greater in boys, in children who were heavier, in those with higher systolic blood pressure, and in those who took less exercise. Increased IMT was associated with a lower maternal energy intake in early (P=0.029) or late (P=0.006) pregnancy, after adjustment for these factors. Mean IMT of children whose mothers were in the lowest quarter of the distribution of energy intake in late pregnancy was 0.027 mm (95% confidence interval, 0.004 to 0.049) greater than that of those whose mothers were in the highest quarter of the distribution.
Conclusions:
Lower maternal energy intake during pregnancy may increase the susceptibility to atherogenesis of the child.
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