Background:
Physical activity (PA) is a key components of energy expenditure and can alter fat metabolism. Maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly endogenous PUFA, plays critical roles on maternal health and fetal development. However, studies investigating the longitudinal association of PA with PUFA during pregnancy are scarce.
Objective:
To examine the prospective associations of PA with PUFA among pregnant women.
Methods:
This study used longitudinal data from a nested gestational diabetes mellitus case-control study (n=321) within the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons. Plasma phospholipid PUFA and PA were measured at 4 time-points during pregnancy (10-14, 15-26, 23-31, and 33-39 GW). Total PA was calculated as energy expenditure in metabolic equivalent (METs-hour) and physically active was defined as spending ≥150 min on moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week. Associations of PA with total n-3, n-6, and individual PUFAs were examined using generalized linear models where the sample was weighted to represent the entire cohort.
Results:
Total PA was positively associated with EDA, but inversely associated with ALA and GLA, independent of maternal age, race, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, and dietary intake of FA. Being physically active was inversely associated with total n-3 PUFA but positively associated with total n-6 PUFA. However, the direction of the associations of individual PUFA varied: an inverse association for ALA (n-3) and LA (n-6); a positive association for DHA (n-3), AA (n-6) and DPA (n-6).
Conclusions:
Findings from this study indicate that PA may alter PUFA metabolism in pregnant women. The inverse association between total PA and GLA (an endogenous PUFA) is novel and merits confirmation in future studies.
Inverse Association between trans Isomeric and Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Pregnant Women and Their Newborns: Data from Three European Countries