Healthy prenatal diet associated with proper infant growth and reduced risk factors associated with obesity: JAMA

Extreme birth sizes and different post-birth growth rates are connected to obesity in the future. Investigating how maternal diet quality during pregnancy influences infant growth could provide valuable information for preventing obesity. Recent research paper focused on the impact of prenatal diet quality on infant growth from birth to 24 months of age, with a specific emphasis on the associations of being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) and experiencing rapid or slow growth after birth with later-life obesity. The study aimed to evaluate the relationships between prenatal dietary quality according to the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP) with infant size at birth and growth patterns during infancy.

The findings of the study, which included 2854 birthing parent-child dyads, revealed that a high HEI score (>80), indicative of a healthier diet, was associated with lower odds of LGA and rapid growth from birth to 6 and 24 months, as well as slow growth from birth to 6, 12, and 24 months. On the other hand, a low EDIP score (indicating a less inflammatory diet) was associated with higher odds of LGA and rapid infant growth from birth to 12 months but lower odds of rapid growth to 6 months, although there was no association with SGA.

Major Highlights

The study highlighted that a prenatal diet aligning with the US Dietary Guidelines was linked to reduced patterns of rapid and slow infant growth, both known risk factors for obesity. The research pointed out the need for further investigations to determine if interventions to improve prenatal diet could also positively impact the growth trajectory in children. Overall, the study provided valuable insights into the importance of prenatal diet quality in shaping infant growth patterns, emphasizing the relevance of adhering to healthy dietary guidelines during pregnancy to promote healthy birth weight and infant growth in the first 2 years of life.

Methodology and Limitations-

The research paper employed a rigorous methodology, including a prospective cohort study design with diverse cohorts from different regions in the US, making the findings generalizable. However, the study also had limitations, such as harmonization of dietary data from different tools and lack of information on infant feeding practices. The study contributed valuable knowledge to the field of nutrition and obesity research, emphasizing the significance of prenatal diet in shaping infant growth outcomes and later-life obesity risk.

Key Points

- The research paper explored the impact of prenatal diet quality on infant growth from birth to 24 months of age, focusing on associations with being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) and experiencing rapid or slow growth after birth on later-life obesity risk.

- Findings from the study of 2854 parent-child dyads indicated that a high Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score (>80) was related to lower odds of LGA and rapid growth from birth to 6 and 24 months, as well as slow growth from birth to 6, 12, and 24 months. Conversely, a low Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP) score was associated with higher odds of LGA and rapid growth from birth to 12 months but lower odds of rapid growth to 6 months, with no association with SGA noted.

- The study emphasized that adhering to a prenatal diet in line with US Dietary Guidelines was linked to reduced instances of rapid and slow infant growth, known risk factors for obesity, underscoring the importance of addressing prenatal diet for healthy birth weight and infant growth during the first 2 years of life.

- Methodologically, the research used a prospective cohort study design with diverse cohorts from various US regions, enhancing the generalizability of the findings. Limitations included challenges in harmonizing dietary data from different tools and a lack of information on infant feeding practices.

- The study contributes valuable insights to nutrition and obesity research, highlighting the crucial role of prenatal diet in shaping infant growth outcomes and influencing the risk of later-life obesity. It suggests the necessity for further investigations to ascertain if enhancing prenatal diet quality could positively impact children's growth trajectories.

- Overall, the research underscores the significance of prenatal dietary quality in influencing infant growth patterns, advocating for healthy dietary practices during pregnancy to support optimal birth weight and infant growth in the early years.

Reference –

M. Hedderson et al. (2024). Prenatal Diet And Infant Growth From Birth To Age 24 Months. *JAMA Network Open*, 7.https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45771