Mediterranean diet adherence and dietary calcium intake in a group of pregnant women: Results of an Italian survey

Abstract

Pregnancy is a delicate phase in woman's life that could become a risk factor for osteoporosis in pregnant women who do not meet recommended nutrient standards, especially for calcium and vitamin D. Mediterranean diet (MD) has been demonstrated to be beneficial for adequate nutrient intake. This article aims to evaluate the MD adherence and dietary calcium intake in a group of pregnant Italian women and to investigate how these are linked to each other and to fast glycemia at first trimester of pregnancy. Two hundred and seventy‐nine pregnant women were recruited at the gynecology units of two hospitals in Florence. Socio‐demographic, clinical information, and results of the first trimester blood sample analysis were collected. Two questionnaires, validated for evaluation of MD adherence and calcium intake, were administered to the pregnant women. Approximately 60% of the women had a high level of MD adherence, with a mean dietary calcium intake of 870.3 ± 335.3. In women with higher MD adherence level, fast glycemia resulted lower. Calcium intake was lower than Population Rate Intake for the Italian population (1,200 mg/daily) and was positively correlated to MD adherence score. The MD proved to be nutritious, as it was related to a higher calcium intake in this group of Italian women.

The Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Thyroid Gland Activity

“…The influence of the Mediterranean diet on CT levels was not previously analyzed. The positive association of CT levels with MDSS values observed in this study could be explained by the fact that subjects with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet have a higher dietary calcium intake, mostly consumed through the intake of dairy products [25]. This can lead, in turn, to the increase in CT levels in the blood since CT is responsible for lowering calcium blood levels [26].…”

Inadequate intake of energy and nutrients: A comparative cross‐sectional study between sport and nonsport science university students of southern Ethiopia

“…Furthermore, the median intake of calcium by female students was between 458 and 464 mg, which was far lower than the intake by pregnant women in Italy and the adults in USA (Quattrini et al., 2021 ; Shah et al., 2021 ). This big variation could be due to high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which is known for a high level of dietary calcium and also the larger portion of the size and increased number of meals consumed by pregnant women, as they need extra energy and nutrients demand for pregnant women.…”

“…In Ethiopia, most of the students join university education starting from the age of late adolescence up to early young adulthood (18-20 years), in which pubertal maturation ends and adoption of adult roles and responsibilities is initiated, but this maturation might sometimes be extended in poor countries, thus their growth may not be complete in the expected age (Das et al, 2017;Patton et al, 2016). Therefore, proper nutrition between 18 and 20 years is vital and contributes to the health and well-being of individuals, which benefits today, for the coming decades, and for the next generation of a given country (Patton et al, 2016).…”

Influência da adesão ao Padrão Alimentar Mediterrânico na saúde ao longo do Ciclo de Vida

“…A evidência científica tem reconhecido o papel importante do PAM na prevenção de algumas doenças fetais e maternas, como a diabetes gestacional, pré-eclâmpsia, partos prematuros, obesidade na descendência (2,50), osteoporose na mulher, prejuízo da formação óssea para o feto (51,52) e aumento do risco de bebés pequenos para a idade gestacional, esta última condição associada ao aumento de risco de doenças crónicas, como por exemplo, diabetes e doenças cardiovasculares, a longo prazo para a criança (1).…”