Abstract
Background: Characterization of dietary patterns represents a valid and meaningful measure of overall diet quality and nutrient intake. The study aims at evaluating the sociodemographic, lifestyle, environmental, and pregnancy-related determinants of maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy. Methods: The analysis was conducted on a group of pregnant women from the Polish Mother and Child Cohort (REPRO_PL). During the second trimester of pregnancy, 1306 women filled in a modified version of the validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary patterns were estimated using an exploratory factor analysis. Potential dietary determinants were assessed via a questionnaire or biomarker measurements (saliva cotinine level). Results: Two dietary patterns were identified. The Prudent dietary pattern was characterized by high consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, poultry, and low-fat dairy products, while the Western dietary pattern included high intake of refined grains, processed meat, potatoes, and very low intake of whole grains. Clear sociodemographic, environmental, lifestyle, and pregnancy-related determinants of diet quality were established. Older age (β = 0.2; p < 0.01), higher educational level (β = 0.3; p < 0.01), and socioeconomic status (SES) (β = 0.2; p < 0.01), overweight/obesity before (β = 0.3; p < 0.01), as well as physical activity during pregnancy (β = 0.2; p = 0.01) were positive determinants of a healthier diet (increasing Prudent–Western difference in dietary pattern scores). On the other hand, parity (β = −0.2; p = 0.04) and living in small cities (β = −0.3; p = 0.02) were significantly related to a rather Western dietary pattern. Conclusions: The current study presents evidence on specific factors influencing dietary patterns. They need to be accounted for in educational programs and interventions focused on healthy diet recommendations during pregnancy.
Highlights
Diet during pregnancy is recognized as one of the environmental factors that can have an impact on maternal health, influencing fetus and children’s development and health across the whole life course
This study aims at evaluating sociodemographic factors (age, education, marital status, socioeconomic status (SES), occupational activity) but, as recommended, environmental factors, lifestyle/health-related behavior (smoking, alcohol, physical activity, level of psychological stress, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain during pregnancy, supplement use), and pregnancy-related determinants of maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy
The Polish Mother and Child Cohort (REPRO_PL) is an ongoing population-based study designed to investigate the effects of sociodemographic, environmental, lifestyle, and pregnancy-related factors on children’s development and health
Summary
Diet during pregnancy is recognized as one of the environmental factors that can have an impact on maternal health, influencing fetus and children’s development and health across the whole life course. While many analyses in this field have so far focused on individual nutrients, recent epidemiological studies have underlined the importance of assessing the impact of the overall diet quality on health, stressing the concept of dietary patterns. This approach has conceptual and methodological advantages over studies based on a single dietary product. Environmental, lifestyle, and pregnancy-related determinants of diet quality were established. Conclusions: The current study presents evidence on specific factors influencing dietary patterns They need to be accounted for in educational programs and interventions focused on healthy diet recommendations during pregnancy
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