Fried food intake estimated by the multiple source method is associated with gestational weight gain

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Maternal Health
• Dietary Assessment Methods

Background:

• Accurate dietary assessment is crucial for understanding pregnancy outcomes.
• Self-reported dietary data, including from food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and 24-hour dietary recalls (24hRs), are prone to measurement errors.
• The multiple source method (MSM) offers a potentially more robust approach to dietary intake estimation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the association between fried food intake, estimated by FFQ, 24hRs, and MSM, and gestational weight gain.
• To evaluate the relationship between different dietary assessment methods and weight gain ratio during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 88 pregnant women.
• Fried food intake assessed using a validated FFQ, multiple 24hRs, and MSM (with and without frequency of intake as a covariate).
• Linear regression models analyzed the relationship between estimated fried food intake and gestational weight gain and weight gain ratio.

Main Results:

• MSM estimates of fried food intake were significantly associated with increased gestational weight gain (β 1.87-2.00) and weight gain ratio (β 0.29-0.31).
• Fried food intake estimated by FFQ and 24hRs showed no significant association with gestational weight gain or weight gain ratio.
• The MSM, accounting for dietary intake frequency, demonstrated a stronger association with adverse weight gain outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Dietary assessment methods significantly influence the observed associations between fried food intake and gestational weight gain.
• The MSM appears more effective than FFQ or 24hRs in identifying the link between fried food consumption and excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
• Findings highlight the importance of employing robust dietary assessment tools in maternal nutrition research.