Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Serum Adiponectin Levels in Pregnancy: Results from a Cohort Study in Normal Weight Caucasian Women.

Angela Spadafranca,Gabriele Piuri,Camilla Bulfoni,Isabel Liguori,Enrico Ferrazzi,Alberto Battezzati,Simona Bertoli,Attilio Speciani

doi:10.3390/nu10070928

Abstract

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is significantly associated with anti-inflammatory effects and a favorable health outcome. During pregnancy, both inflammatory changes and oxidative balance are essential for a successful outcome, while an unbalanced inflammatory response can be a key mediator of obstetrical syndromes. The aim of this study is to investigate the adherence to MedDiet during pregnancy in the 1st and in the 3rd trimester, and to test whether the adherence was associated with serum adiponectin levels. The study was carried out on 99 normal weight Caucasian women. The adherence to MedDiet was measured by a 13-point Mediterranean scale. The whole sample scored 7.2 ± 1.5, with no difference between first and third trimester (p = 0.7). Critical points were: fruit < 3 servings/day in 77% of the sample, beans < 3 times/week in 89%, fish < 2 times/week in 69%, and nut weekly intake < 30 g in 75%. The serum adiponectin levels significantly decreased from the first to the third trimester (−16% ± 4%, p = 0.008), which confirms a low-grade inflammatory condition associated with advancing gestational age. The women who were in the highest tertile of the adherence to MedDiet had a lower percentage decrease, as compared with those in the lowest tertile (10% ± 11% vs. −34% ± 3%, p = 0.01). Even if in pregnancy the adiponectin levels are strongly influenced by the low-grade inflammation, the adherence to MedDiet may modulate this state.

Highlights

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), which represents the common dietary pattern among the populations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, has been widely reported to be a model of healthy eating, as it contributes to a favorable health status and a better quality of life [1]
No significant association between adherence to MedDiet and adiponectin levels was found at either the first trimester nor at the third trimester, we found a significant association between the adherence to MedDiet—expressed as mean MedScore between the first and the third trimester—and the percentage decrease in adiponectin levels (β = 0.6, p = 0.008)
In a cohort of normal weight Caucasian pregnant women, we found that, overall, there was a low adherence to MedDiet and that this adherence did not change throughout pregnancy

Summary

Introduction

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), which represents the common dietary pattern among the populations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, has been widely reported to be a model of healthy eating, as it contributes to a favorable health status and a better quality of life [1]. Nutrients 2018, 10, 928 of MedDiet [3] Many studies, both in vitro and in vivo, investigated the role of these compounds on inflammatory and oxidative status, over the past few years, the research carried out in this field has been mainly focused on estimating adherence to the whole MedDiet, rather than analyzing the individual components of the dietary pattern [4]. Both in vitro and in vivo, investigated the role of these compounds on inflammatory and oxidative status, over the past few years, the research carried out in this field has been mainly focused on estimating adherence to the whole MedDiet, rather than analyzing the individual components of the dietary pattern [4] This is because the analyses of single nutrients ignore some important interactions between the different components of a diet and, more importantly, because people do not eat isolated nutrients [1]. Some studies, carried out in adults, suggest that low-grade inflammation can be mitigated by health-promoting behaviors, such as the healthy eating patterns of MedDiet [7], but no study, to our knowledge, has investigated this topic during pregnancy

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