Maternal protein-energy supplementation does not affect adolescent blood pressure in The Gambia

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Background:

• Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is hypothesized to influence offspring blood pressure.
• Evidence from randomized controlled trials in humans is limited.
• Understanding this link is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term effects of prenatal protein-energy supplementation on offspring blood pressure.
• To examine the association between maternal nutrition and adolescent blood pressure in a rural African population.

Main Methods:

• Follow-up study of offspring from a maternal prenatal protein-energy supplementation trial.
• Blood pressure measured in 1,267 adolescents aged 11-17 years using an automated monitor.
• Analysis compared blood pressure between offspring whose mothers received supplementation prenatally versus post-partum.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in systolic or diastolic blood pressure was observed between the intervention and control groups.
• Systolic blood pressure (intention-to-treat) regression coefficient was 0.46 (95% CI: -1.12, 2.04).
• Mean systolic blood pressure was 110.2 mmHg (control) vs. 110.8 mmHg (intervention); diastolic was 64.7 mmHg (control) vs. 64.6 mmHg (intervention).

Conclusions:

• Maternal prenatal protein-energy supplementation showed no association with offspring blood pressure in rural Gambian adolescents.
• Preliminary evidence suggests offspring body composition might interact with maternal supplementation's effect on blood pressure.
• Further research is needed to explore the role of body composition in this relationship.