Dietary intake of pregnant women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A case-control study

Abstract

Findings on the role of diet in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis are inconsistent. There are few studies on the dietary habits of pregnant women with NAFLD. Our primary aim was to compare the dietary intakes of pregnant women with and without NAFLD. This case-control study recruited 60 women (26-34 weeks' gestation) with recently diagnosed gestational diabetes (GDM) before any treatment was implemented. At recruitment, all participants underwent B-mode hepatic ultrasound. We included 30 women with sonographic NAFLD (cases) and 30 women without NAFLD (controls) matched for age, skin color, and pre-pregnancy body mass index. We assessed participants' dietary intakes in the last six months using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Mann-Whitney´s test was used to compare differences in median macro and micronutrient intakes between cases and controls. Total median daily energy (1965.1×1949.2 calories) and lipid (25.1%×28.3%) intakes were similar in women with and without NAFLD and fell within recommended ranges. Participants with NAFLD reported significantly higher median daily intakes of carbohydrates (59.4%×53.1% p=0.003), and significantly lower protein (15.6%×17.0% p=0.005), fiber (10.7×13.3g/day p=0.010), and vitamin C (151.8×192.6mg/day p=0.008) intakes than those without NAFLD. Pregnant women with NAFLD ingest more carbohydrates and less protein, fiber, and vitamin C than those without NAFLD. Our findings contribute to understanding the role of diet in the development of NAFLD in pregnant women.