Diet in pregnancy and the offspring's blood pressure 40 years later

Abstract

Objective To determine how diet of the mother in pregnancy influences the blood pressure of the Design A follow up study of men and women born during 1948-1954 whose mothers had taken Setting Aberdeen, Scotland. Population Two hundred and fifty-three men and women born in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. Main outcome measure Systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Results The relations between the diet of mothers and their offsprings' blood pressure were complex. When the mothers' intake of animal protein was less than 50g daily, a higher carbohydrate intake was associated with a higher blood pressure in the offspring (a 100 g increase in carbohydrate being associated with a 3 mmHg increase in systolic pressure (P = 0.02)). At daily animal protein intakes above 50 g, lower Carbohydrate intake was associated with higher blood pressure (a 100 g decrease in carbohydrate being associated with an 11 mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure (P = 0.004)). These increases in blood pressure were associated with decreased placental size. Conclusion Mothers' intakes of animal protein and carbohydrate in late pregnancy may influence their offsprings' adult blood pressure. This may be mediated through effects on placental growth.offspring in adult life.part in a survey of diet in late pregnancy.

Limits of adaptation to high dietary protein intakes

“…The analysis of more recent studies suggest that the interactions of protein intake with maternal nutritional status and her dietary intake during pregnancy may be rather complex Campbell et al, 1996).…”

Breakfast consumption in Spanish children and young people

“…Among women with low intakes of animal protein, a higher carbohydrate intake was associated with a higher adult blood pressure in the offspring; among those with high animal protein intakes, a lower carbohydrate intake was associated with higher blood pressure. These increases in blood pressure were associated with decreased placental size 19 . Support for the thesis that alterations in fetal and placental development may result from a low ratio of animal protein to carbohydrate comes from observational studies of maternal nutrition in pregnancy 62 .…”

“…These have found that maternal 621 Fetal programming and adult health diets with a low ratio of protein to carbohydrate and fat alter fetal and placental growth, and result in lifelong elevation of blood pressure in the offspring 4 . A follow-up study of 40 year old men and women in Aberdeen, UK suggested that alterations in the maternal macronutrient balance during pregnancy could have similar adverse effects on the offspring 19 ; the relations with maternal diet were, however, complex and studies to replicate them are in progress. Among women with low intakes of animal protein, a higher carbohydrate intake was associated with a higher adult blood pressure in the offspring; among those with high animal protein intakes, a lower carbohydrate intake was associated with higher blood pressure.…”

A Life Course Perspective on Body Size and Cardio-metabolic Health

“…Pregnant women exposed to famine give birth to small babies who go onto develop glucose intolerance and obesity in adulthood, for example (Ravelli et al 1976(Ravelli et al , 1998. The proportion of protein and carbohydrate in a women's diet may be a key factor that affects the foetus, with the combination of high carbohydrate and low protein intake being particularly deleterious (Campbell et al 1996;Godfrey et al 1996). In addition to maternal intake per se, clinical exposures such as maternal hypertension leading to reduced uterine blood flow can severely affect the supply line of nutrients from the mother to the foetus (Harding 2001).…”