Pregnancy diet and associated outcomes in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Abstract

All publications covering diet during pregnancy that stemmed from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were reviewed. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Socioeconomic background, maternal mental health, and the health and development of the offspring were assessed using a variety of methods, such as direct measurement, self-completion questionnaires, and assays of biological samples. Differences in diet, including specific food and nutrient intakes and dietary patterns, were associated with maternal educational attainment, smoking habits, and financial difficulty. There were marginal intakes, compared with recommendations, of the key nutrients iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate. Maternal diet during pregnancy was predictive of offspring diet during childhood. There were independent associations between prenatal fish consumption and lower frequency of maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as lower frequency of intrauterine growth retardation. Consistent evidence that fish consumption during pregnancy benefited the neurocognitive development of the child was also found. Two constituents of fish, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and iodine, were associated with these benefits in children. The findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children strengthen the recommendation to eat fish regularly during pregnancy.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake of Pregnant Women and Women of Childbearing Age in the United States: Potential for Deficiency?

“…Omega-3 supplementation in mothers and infants is associated with numerous positive health outcomes in mother and child [6,28]. Higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids in mothers is associated with reduced risk for depression and intrauterine growth restriction, increased infant birth weight, as well as reduced risk of preterm birth [6,7,8,9,10].…”

“…The hypothesis that early life diet in utero increases the vulnerability of the offspring to the development of poor outcomes and disease is now well accepted [4,5]. Several studies have established that quantity and quality of dietary fats consumed during pregnancy have profound health implications during and after pregnancy [6,7]. Omega-3 fatty acids play critical roles during fetal growth and development, and higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy have been associated with decreased maternal depression [6], reduced rates of intrauterine growth restriction [6], preterm birth [8,9,10], reduced allergies and asthma in children [11], and improved neurocognitive outcomes in the offspring [6].…”

Data relating to early child development in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), their relationship with prenatal blood mercury and stratification by fish consumption

“…At 32 weeks gestation the questionnaire sent to the pregnant mothers included a detailed food frequency questionnaire containing questions on their current consumption of white and of oily fish [3]; women who ate no white or oily fish were defined as non-fish eaters.…”

Dietary patterns in obese pregnant women; influence of a behavioral intervention of diet and physical activity in the UPBEAT randomized controlled trial

“…The pivotal role of maternal nutrition in pregnancy is well established, with several studies demonstrating the importance of nutritional intake and status during pregnancy, both for short-term pregnancy outcomes [4–6], and long-term health of the offspring [5, 7–13]. A concerted effort has therefore been made towards identifying interventions to improve the nutrition of obese pregnant women and prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes.…”