Associations of ultra-processed food intake with maternal weight change and cardiometabolic health and infant growth

• DOI: 10.1186/s12966-022-01298-w
• Publication Date: 2022-05-26T12:03:32Z
• Authors: Jenna R. Cummings; Leah M. Lipsky; Carolina Schwedhelm; Aiyi Liu; Tonja R. Nansel
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; RC620-627; Weight Gain; Eating; 03 medical and health sciences; Postpartum; Pregnancy; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases; 2. Zero hunger; Research; Cardiometabolic health; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Infant weight-for-length; Maternal weight change; Ultra-processed food; Gestational Weight Gain; 3. Good health; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Integrative Biomedicine [Topic 3]; Fast Foods; Female; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270

AbstractBackgroundExcessive intake of ultra-processed foods, formulated from substances extracted from foods or derived from food constituents, may be a modifiable behavioral risk factor for adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Prior work has predominately examined health correlates of maternal ultra-processed food intake in populations with substantially lower ultra-processed food intake compared to the US population. This longitudinal study investigated relations of ultra-processed food intake with maternal weight change and cardiometabolic health and infant growth in a US cohort.MethodsMothers in the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study were enrolled at ≤12 weeks gestation and completed multiple 24-Hour Dietary Recalls within six visit windows through one-year postpartum (458 mothers enrolled, 321 retained at one-year postpartum). The NOVA (not an acronym) system categorized food and underlying ingredient codes based on processing level. Maternal anthropometrics were measured throughout pregnancy and postpartum, and infant anthropometrics were measured at birth and ages 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Maternal cardiometabolic markers were analyzed from blood samples obtained during the second and third trimesters.ResultsHolding covariates and total energy intake constant, a 1-SD greater percent energy intake from ultra-processed foods during pregnancy was associated with 31% higher odds of excessive gestational weight gain (p= .045, 95% CI [1.01, 1.70]), 0.68±0.29 mg/L higher c-reactive protein during pregnancy (p= .021, 95% CI [0.10, 1.26]), 6.7±3.4% greater gestational weight gain retained (p= .049, 95% CI [0.03, 13.30]), and 1.09±0.36 kg greater postpartum weight retention (p= .003, 95% CI [0.38, 1.80]). No other significant associations emerged.ConclusionsUltra-processed food intake during pregnancy may be a modifiable behavioral risk factor for adverse maternal weight outcomes and inflammation. Randomized controlled trials are needed to test whether targeting ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy may support optimal maternal health.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov. Registration ID –NCT02217462. Date of registration – August 13, 2014.