Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Prevention of Excessive Weight Gain during Pregnancy: Study in a Cohort of Normal Weight Caucasian Women

Abstract

<p><em>This study investigated the association between </em><em>adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) and the risk of excessive Gestational Weight Gain (GWG).</em><em></em></p><p><em>Ninety five </em><em>Caucasian normal weight pregnant women were recruited within the 16thgestational week. </em><em>We evaluated the adherence to MD at recruitment (T0) and at third trimester (T1) by validated food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to MD was indicated by a score between 0 and 13. Adequate GWG was defined in according with IOM (Institute of Medicine, 2009) recommendations.</em><em></em></p><p><em>The 26.3% dropped out, then the completer participants were</em><em> 70 (33.2±3.5 ys, 74.3% nulliparous).</em><em></em></p><p><em>MD score at T0 was 7.2±1.5 and it did not significantly change at T1. Mean MD score between T0 and T1 was 7.3±1.3: a good adherence to MD, defined by MD score≥8, was satisfied by 27.1%. The GWG at T1 was adequate in 64.3%, while exceed in 35.7%. </em><em>Women with adequate GWG showed a MD score significantly higher than women with excessive GWG (MD score: 7.5±1.3 vs 6.8±1.0, p=0.02). </em></p><p><em>A good adherence to MD</em><em> </em><em>was associated with a significantly lower risk ratio of excessive GWG (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.1-0.9, p=0.04).</em><em></em></p><p><em>MD could be a dietary pattern able to prevent excessive GWG in normal weight women.</em><em></em></p>