Maternal Diet and the Serum Metabolome in Pregnancy: Robust Dietary Biomarkers Generalizable to a Multiethnic Birth Cohort

ABSTRACT Background Advances in metabolomics are anticipated to decipher associations between dietary exposures and health. Replication biomarker studies in different populations are critical to demonstrate generalizability. Objectives To identify and validate robust serum metabolites associated with diet quality and specific foods in a multiethnic cohort of pregnant women. Design In this cross-sectional analysis of 3 multiethnic Canadian birth cohorts, we collected semiquantitative FFQ and serum data from 900 women at the second trimester of pregnancy. We calculated a diet quality score (DQS), defined as daily servings of “healthy” minus “unhealthy” foods. Serum metabolomics was performed by multisegment injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry, and specific serum metabolites associated with maternal DQSs were identified. We combined the results across all 3 cohorts using meta-analysis to classify robust dietary biomarkers (r > ± 0.1; P < 0.05). Results Diet quality was higher in the South Asian birth cohort (mean DQS = 7.1) than the 2 white Caucasian birth cohorts (mean DQS <3.2). Sixty-six metabolites were detected with high frequency (>75%) and adequate precision (CV <30%), and 47 were common to all cohorts. Hippuric acid was positively associated with healthy diet score in all cohorts, and with the overall DQS only in the primarily white Caucasian cohorts. We observed robust correlations between: 1) proline betaine—citrus foods; 2) 3-methylhistidine—red meat, chicken, and eggs; 3) hippuric acid—fruits and vegetables; 4) trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)—seafood, meat, and eggs; and 5) tryptophan betaine—nuts/legumes. Conclusions Specific serum metabolites reflect intake of citrus fruit/juice, vegetables, animal foods, and nuts/legumes in pregnant women independent of ethnicity, fasting status, and delays to storage across multiple collection centers. Robust biomarkers of overall diet quality varied by cohort. Proline betaine, 3-methylhistidine, hippuric acid, TMAO, and tryptophan betaine were robust dietary biomarkers for investigations of maternal nutrition in diverse populations.

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Prospective Associations between Maternal and Child Diet Quality and Sedentary Behaviors

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051713 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1713

Author(s):

Charlotte Juton ◽

Carles Lerin ◽

Clara Homs ◽

Rafael Casas Esteve ◽

Paula Berruezo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Maternal Diet ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Baked Goods

As the most likely primary caregivers, mothers are an integral part of children’s social influence and are therefore greatly involved in shaping their children’s behaviors. The objectives were to determine the prospective associations between maternal and child diet quality and sedentary behaviors. This study, within the framework of a community-based intervention study, included 1130 children aged 8–10 years and their mothers. The study was carried out during two academic years (2012/2014) with a mean follow-up of 15 months. Exposure and outcome variables were measured at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Diet quality was assessed by the KIDMED questionnaire and the short Diet Quality Screener, respectively. Sedentary behaviors were determined by standardized questions of sedentary behaviors. Maternal consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, pasta/rice, dairy products, nuts and baked goods were positively associated (p < 0.05) with the corresponding child behavior. Multiple linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, maternal education and intervention group revealed significant cross-sectional (p < 0.005) and prospective (p < 0.01) associations between maternal and child overall diet quality and sedentary behaviors. Maternal diet quality and sedentary behaviors were predictive for these lifestyle behaviors in children.

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Age-Specific Rates of Onset of Cannabis Use in Mexico

10.1101/2020.11.30.20241463 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mauricio López-Méndez ◽

Angélica Ospina-Escobar ◽

Rowan Iskandar ◽

Fernando Alarid-Escudero

Keyword(s):

Birth Cohort ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Parametric Models ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cannabis Consumption ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Over Time

AbstractBackgroundOver the previous two decades, the prevalence of cannabis use has risen among the population in Mexico.AimsTo estimate the sex- and age-specific rates of onset of cannabis use over time.DesignTime-to-event flexible parametric models with spline specifications of the hazard function. Stratified analysis by sex, and control for temporal trends by year of data collection or decennial birth-cohort.SettingMexico.ParticipantsPooled sample of 141,342 respondents aged between 12 and 65 years from five nationally representative cross-sectional surveys, the Mexican National Surveys of Addictions (1998, 2002, 2008, 2012) and the Mexican National Survey on Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco Consumption (2016).MeasurementsWe estimated age-specific rates of onset of cannabis as the conditional rate of consuming cannabis for the first time at a specific age.FindingsAge-specific rates of onset of cannabis use per 1,000 individuals increased over time for both females and males. Peak rates per 1,000 ranged from 0.935 (95%CI= [0.754,1.140]) in 1998, to 5.390 (95%CI= [4.910,5.960]) in 2016 for females; and from 7.510 (95%CI= [5.516, 10.355]) in 1998, to 26.100 (95%CI= [23.162,30.169]) in 2016 for males. Across decennial birth-cohorts, peak rates of onset of cannabis use per 1,000 individuals for females ranged from 0.342 (95%CI= [0.127,0.898]) for those born in the 1930s, to 14.600 (95%CI= [13.200,16.100]) for those born in the 1990s; and for males, from 4.900 (95%CI= [0.768, 7.947]) for those born in the 1930s, to 38.700 (95%CI= [32.553,66.341]) for those born in the 1990s.ConclusionRates of onset of cannabis use for males are higher than for females; however, the change across recent cohorts of the rates of onset has increased at a faster rate among females. Our findings can inform and improve the implementation of policies around cannabis use by identifying subpopulations by age, sex, and birth-cohort that are at the highest risk of initiating cannabis consumption.

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Birth cohort differences in height, weight and body mass index among Indian women aged 15-30 years: Analyses based on three cross-sectional surveys

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021005012 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Swapna Deshpande ◽

Tarja I Kinnunen ◽

Sangita Kulathinal

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Body Mass ◽

Married Women ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Indian Women ◽

Rate Of Increase ◽

Increasing Trends ◽

Reference Cohort

Abstract Objective: To explore long-term trends in height, weight and body mass index (BMI) across birth cohorts among Indian women aged 15-30. Design: Nationally representative cross-sectional surveys. Setting: Data from three National Family Health Surveys conducted in 1998-99, 2005-06 and 2015-16. Height and weight were modeled jointly, employing a multivariate regression model with age and birth cohorts as explanatory variables. The largest birth cohort (born 1988-92) was the reference cohort. Stratified analyses by place of residence and by marital status and dichotomized parity were also performed. Participants: 437,753 non-pregnant women aged 15-30 years. Results: The rate of increase in height, weight and BMI differed across birth cohorts. The rate of increase was much lower for height than weight, which was reflected in an increasing trend in BMI across all birth cohorts. In the stratified analyses, increase in height was found to be similar across urban and rural areas. Rural women born in the latest birth cohort (1998-2001) were lighter, whereas urban women were heavier compared to the reference cohort. A relatively larger increase in regression coefficients were observed among women born between 1978-82 compared to women born between 1973-77 when considering unmarried and nulliparous ever-married women and, one cohort later (1983-87 vs. 1978-82), among parous ever-married women. Conclusion: As the rate of increase was much larger for weight than for height, increasing trends in BMI were observed across the birth cohorts. Thus, cohort effects show an important contributory role in explaining increasing trends in BMI among young Indian women.

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Deriving the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Score in Women from Seven Pregnancy Cohorts from the European ALPHABET Consortium

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11112706 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2706 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Adrien M. Aubert ◽

Anne Forhan ◽

Blandine de Lauzon-Guillain ◽

Ling-Wei Chen ◽

Kinga Polanska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diet Quality ◽

Dairy Products ◽

Maternal Diet ◽

Dash Score ◽

Food Groups ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Food Components ◽

Offspring Health

The ALPHABET consortium aims to examine the interplays between maternal diet quality, epigenetics and offspring health in seven pregnancy/birth cohorts from five European countries. We aimed to use the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score to assess diet quality, but different versions have been published. To derive a single DASH score allowing cross-country, cross-cohort and cross-period comparison and limiting data heterogeneity within the ALPHABET consortium, we harmonised food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data collected before and during pregnancy in ≥26,500 women. Although FFQs differed strongly in length and content, we derived a consortium DASH score composed of eight food components by combining the prescriptive original DASH and the DASH described by Fung et al. Statistical issues tied to the nature of the FFQs led us to re-classify two food groups (grains and dairy products). Most DASH food components exhibited pronounced between-cohort variability, including non-full-fat dairy products (median intake ranging from 0.1 to 2.2 servings/day), sugar-sweetened beverages/sweets/added sugars (0.3–1.7 servings/day), fruits (1.1–3.1 servings/day), and vegetables (1.5–3.6 servings/day). We successfully developed a harmonized DASH score adapted to all cohorts being part of the ALPHABET consortium. This methodological work may benefit other research teams in adapting the DASH to their study’s specificities.

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Cohort Analysis of Ontario Suicide Rates, 1877–1976

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674378603100305 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 208-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Rosemary A. Barnes ◽

Jon Ennis ◽

Renate Schober

Keyword(s):

Birth Cohort ◽

Cohort Analysis ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Suicidal Risk ◽

Transient Effects ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Weak Support ◽

Suicide Rates

Birth cohort studies of suicide rates in Alberta, the United States and Australia indicate that within each generation, suicide rates increase with age. Such studies argue that cohort-specific suicidal risk, together with present high suicide rates among young people predict even higher rates as these generations grow older. Ontario data from a 100-year period demonstrate that within birth cohorts suicide rates consistently increase with age, peak between ages 50 and 70, then decline. Gradual increases in mean suicide rates result in every birth cohort having higher suicide rates than the preceding cohort at almost every age level. These trends combine to produce a regular birth cohort effect and a steady shift in cross-sectional data to higher rates of suicide among younger age groups. Abrupt increases in suicide rates occurring during the Great Depression had only transient effects on birth cohort and cross-sectional curves. Results provide weak support for the hypothesis of cohort-specific suicidal risk and clarify the factors which produce birth cohort effects.

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Association between the Diet Quality Index Adapted for Pregnant Women (IQDAG) and excess maternal body weight

Revista Brasileira de Saúde Materno Infantil ◽

10.1590/1806-93042019000200002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 275-283 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lívia Castro Crivellenti ◽

Daniela Cristina Candelas Zuccolotto ◽

Daniela Saes Sartorelli

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Quality Index ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

The Body ◽

Maternal Body ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Diet Quality Index ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objectives: to investigate the relationship between the Diet Quality Index Adapted for Pregnant Women (IQDAG) and excess maternal body weight. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted with 754 adult pregnant women, in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, between 2011 and 2012. The criteria proposed by Atalah were used to classify the body mass index (BMI). Adjusted multinomial logistic regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between the IQDAG and being overweight and obese, estimating the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI95%). Results: the mean (SD) age of women was 28 (5) years, 33.4% were overweight and 25.6% obese. The pregnant women with higher scores in the IQDAG were less likely to be overweight [OR= 0.56 (CI95% = 0.37-0.85)] or obese [0.43 (0.26-0.71)]; those with higher scores in the "Fiber" [0.51 (0.33; 0.78)] and "Iron" [0.62 (0.40-0.96)] components were less likely to be overweight. However, women with higher scores in the percentage of energy from ultra-processed foods were more likely to be overweight [1.72 (1.10-2.94)] or obese [5.24 (2.80-9.80)], when compared to women with lower scores. Conclusions: poorer quality maternal diets were observed among the women who were overweight and obese during pregnancy.

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A healthy eating index to measure diet quality in pregnant women in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-015-0029-3 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Chad Yixian Han ◽

◽

Marjorelee Colega ◽

Elaine Phaik Ling Quah ◽

Yiong Huak Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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Demographic and Socioeconomic Variations in Diet Quality Among Pregnant Women in Mbeya, Tanzania

10.21203/rs.3.rs-704381/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sauli Epimack John ◽

Heavenlight Paulo ◽

Adam Hancy ◽

Abraham Sanga ◽

Ramadhan Noor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Occupational Status ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽

Food Groups ◽

Public Health Action ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Refined Grains ◽

Significance Level

Abstract BackgroundSub-optimal diets are the primary risk factor for mortality among pregnant women. In Tanzania, many pregnant women have micronutrient deficiencies in iron, iodine, and vitamin A. Promoting healthy diets, with a focus on food quality and the consumption of fortified foods, may help to reduce mortality amongst pregnant women. However, more evidence is needed to inform the development of effective food based approaches. The aim of the study was to evaluate associations between demographic and socioeconomic factors with diet quality among pregnant women in Mbeya, Tanzania. MethodsData from a cross-sectional study conducted, in 2020, in Mbeya which included a population-based sample of 420 pregnant women was analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed using the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) with data from 24-HR diet recalls. Socioeconomic variables were also collected. Chi square-tests and one way ANOVAs were used to assess differences across demographic and socio-economic predictors of PDQS. Multivariate analyses were conducted to adjust for confounders and effect modifiers. All tests were two-tailed and significance level was set at 5%. ResultsStudy participants had a mean age of 25.49 ± 6.37 years. The mean PDQS was 16.2±2.7. For the PDQS, the consumption of at least 4 servings per week of food groups was as follows: dark green leafy green vegetables (29.2%), other vegetables (14.7%) and vegetable liquid oil (57.2%). Consumption of refined grains was high (48.0%). Pregnant women who visited antenatal clinics (ANC) had a reduced diet quality. Occupational status and household wealth index were significantly associated with PDQS in high quintile groups. Marital status was negatively associated with the PDQS and, pregnant women who reported to visit ANC were positively associated with PDQS. ConclusionsPregnant women aged 15-49 years in Mbeya region have low PDQS scores due to high intakes of refined grains, limited consumption of red meats, and low intakes of healthy cruciferous vegetables, whole citrus fruits and poultry. These findings suggest that public health action is needed to improve diet quality amongst pregnant women to improve health outcomes of this population.

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Birth cohort changes in fertility ideals: Evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Finland

10.31235/osf.io/7vtqm ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kateryna Savelieva ◽

Natalie Nitsche ◽

Venla Berg ◽

Anneli Miettinen ◽

Anna Rotkirch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Cohort ◽

Fertility Decline ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Family Policies ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Great Recession ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Ideal Number ◽

The Ideal

Since the great recession, fertility has been declining steeply in some high-income countries. It is, however, unknown whether the ideal number of children, a key predictor of fertility behaviour, has also declined, either in parallel or prior to fertility decline. Finland is known for its supportive family policies, but is among those countries, which have experienced drastic and poorly understood fertility decline over the last decade. Using repeated cross-sectional survey data from the Finnish Family Barometers, we examined birth cohort changes in ideal number of children among men and women born in 1970–94. Our findings indicate that the ideal number of children was lower among more recent compared to earlier birth cohorts. This difference in fertility ideals was driven by larger proportions of those preferring to remain childless among the recent birth cohorts. This suggests that attitudes of Finns towards childbearing have changed and may contribute to recent fertility decline.

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