Maternal diet and cord blood leptin and adiponectin concentrations at birth

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of total energy intake, macronutrient intake, and maternal adherence to Mediterranean diet or Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) on cord blood leptin and adiponectin levels, which have been associated with childhood adiposity. We used multivariable linear regression to assess associations of maternal diet, averaged over 1st and 2nd trimesters, with cord blood adipokines of 780 women from the prospective cohort study Project Viva. Mean (SD) energy intake during pregnancy was 2135 (596) kcal. Mean (SD) cord blood levels of leptin and adiponectin were 9.0 (6.6) ng/ml and 28.6 (6.7) μg/ml, respectively. Neither closer adherence to a Mediterranean/AHEI pattern diet nor energy intake was associated with either cord blood leptin or adiponectin. Protein intake was associated with both marginally lower leptin (-0.22 ng/ml [95% CI -0.41, -0.02] for each 1% of energy) and adiponectin (-0.25 μg/ml [95% CI -0.48, -0.02]). Closer adherence to a Mediterranean/AHEI pattern diet during pregnancy was not associated with cord blood leptin or adiponectin. Maternal protein intake was weakly but significantly associated with lower cord blood leptin and adiponectin.