Maternal meal irregularities during pregnancy and lifestyle correlates

Chrononutrition behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in adolescence: an ecological momentary assessment study

PURPOSE

To investigate the potential associations between unhealthy chrononutrition behaviors (meal timing, frequency, and regularity) and their combined impact on cardiometabolic risk in adolescence.

METHODS

Chrononutrition behaviors were assessed using a 7-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA). The unhealthy chrononutrition score (ranging from 0 to 8) was determined based on late meal timing, low meal frequency, and meal irregularity. The cardiometabolic (CM)-risk z score was calculated utilizing age- and sex-specific reference values for waist circumference (WC), mean arterial pressure (MAP), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Restricted cubic splines were employed to estimate the dose-response relationships between the unhealthy chrononutrition score and outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 458 participants [mean (SD) age, 17.9 (0.7) years; 340 (74.2%) Female], 14.3% had an unhealthy chrononutrition score ≥ 6, who exhibited higher MAP (β = 3.86; 95% CI 1.24, 6.47), higher CM-risk scores (β = 1.80; 95% CI 0.70, 2.90), and lower HDL-C (β = 0.18; 95% CI - 0.30, - 0.06), as opposed to those with a healthy score ≤ 2 (n = 136, 31.4%). Moreover, late breakfast (later than 9AM compared to earlier than 8AM), low meal frequency (eating two or fewer meals versus three meals a day), and meal irregularity (score of 3-5 compared to a good score of 6-9) were associated with an increased risk of CM-risk outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest a clustering of unhealthy chrononutrition behaviors that collectively impact cardiometabolic health in adolescence. Further prospective and interventional investigations is necessary to validate these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Ramadan during pregnancy and offspring health outcomes over the life course: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Intermittent fasting, such as during Ramadan, is prevalent among pregnant women. However, the association between Ramadan during pregnancy and offspring health along the life course has not been fully established.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

Fetal programming research indicates that prenatal exposures, particularly during early pregnancy, can cause long-term structural and physiological changes that adversely affect offspring health. Our objective was to systematically identify and assess the evidence regarding Ramadan during pregnancy.

SEARCH METHODS

A total of 31 studies were sourced from PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and EconLit. Included studies evaluated outcomes in individuals with prenatal Ramadan exposure, compared to unexposed Muslim controls. Main outcomes were birth weight, gestational length, and sex ratio in newborns; height, mortality, and cognition in children; and disabilities, chronic diseases, and human capital accumulation in adults. Each study was evaluated for risk of bias. The overall quality of evidence was appraised using the GRADE system. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted for outcomes analyzed in at least three primary studies.

OUTCOMES

The initial search identified 2933 articles, 1208 duplicates were deleted. There were 31 publications fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the qualitative synthesis; 22 studies were included in meta-analyses. The overall quality of the evidence was low to moderate and differed by study design and outcome. Among newborns, prenatal Ramadan exposure was not associated with birth weight (mean difference (MD) -3 g (95% CI -18 to 11; I2 = 70%) or the likelihood of prematurity (percentage point difference (PPD) 0.19 (95% CI -0.11 to 0.49; I2 = 0%)). The probability that the newborn is male was reduced (PPD -0.14 (95% CI -0.28 to -0.00; I2 = 0%)). This potentially reflects sex-specific mortality rates resulting from adverse in utero circumstances. In childhood, the exposed performed slightly poorer on cognitive tests (MD -3.10% of a standard deviation (95% CI -4.61 to -1.58; I2 = 51%)). Height among the exposed was reduced, and this pattern was already visible at ages below 5 years (height-for-age z-score MD -0.03 (95% CI -0.06 to -0.00; I2 = 76%)). A qualitative literature synthesis revealed that childhood mortality rates were increased in low-income contexts. In adulthood, the prenatally exposed had an increased likelihood of hearing disabilities (odds ratio 1.26 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.45; I2 = 32%)), while sight was not affected. Other impaired outcomes included chronic diseases or their symptoms, and indicators of human capital accumulation such as home ownership (qualitative literature synthesis). The first trimester emerged as a sensitive period for long-term impacts.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

Despite the need for more high-quality studies to improve the certainty of the evidence, the synthesis of existing research demonstrates that Ramadan during pregnancy is associated with adverse offspring health effects in childhood and especially adulthood, despite an absence of observable effects at birth. Not all health effects may apply to all Muslim communities, which are diverse in backgrounds and behaviors. Notably, moderating factors like daytime activity levels and dietary habits outside fasting hours have hardly been considered. It is imperative for future research to address these aspects.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO (CRD42022325770).

Early continuous glucose monitoring-derived glycemic patterns are associated with subsequent insulin resistance and gestational diabetes mellitus development during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and insulin resistance (IR) increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to examine the relationship of interstitial glucose assessed by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) at early gestation, and the subsequent development of IR and GDM, and to determine 24-h interstitial glucose centile distributions in women with normal (non-IR and non-GDM) and suboptimal glycemic status (IR and/or GDM).

METHODS

CGM measurements were taken for 3-10 days at 18-24 weeks' gestation, followed by fasting serum insulin and oral glucose tolerance testing at 24-28 weeks' gestation. IR and GDM were determined by the updated Homeostasis Model Assessment of IR score of ≥ 1.22 and 2013 World Health Organization criteria, respectively. Risks of IR and GDM were estimated using modified Poisson models, and hourly interstitial glucose centiles determined using Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape.

RESULTS

This prospective cohort study involved 167 pregnant women in Singapore, with a mean age of 31.7 years, body mass index of 22.9 kg/m2, and gestation of 20.3 weeks. 25% of women exhibited IR and 18% developed GDM. After confounders adjustment, women with suboptimal glycemic control, indicated by higher mean daily glucose (risk ratio 1.42; 95% confidence interval 1.16, 1.73), glucose management indicator (1.08; 1.03, 1.12), and J-index (1.04; 1.02, 1.06), as well as those with greater glycemic variability, indicated by higher standard deviation (1.69; 1.37, 2.09), coefficient of variation (1.03; 1.00, 1.06), and mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (1.4; 1.14, 1.35) derived from CGM in early gestation were associated with higher risks of developing IR in later gestation. These associations were similarly observed for the development of GDM. Centile curves showed that, compared to those with normal glycemic status, women with suboptimal glycemic status had higher glucose levels, with greater fluctuations throughout 24 h.

CONCLUSIONS

In pregnant women who subsequently developed IR and GDM, interstitial glucose levels assessed by CGM were elevated and varied greatly. This supports the potential use of CGM to screen for glycemic changes early in pregnancy.

Determinants of breakfast skipping among pregnant women from South Ethiopia Gamo Zone: a case-control study

Skipping breakfast during pregnancy presents several challenges and potential health risks for both the mother and her baby. Breakfast plays a crucial role in providing essential nutrients and energy after an overnight fast. Skipping breakfast during pregnancy creates an unhealthy environment for the fetus. Thus, this study aimed to identify the determinants of breakfast skipping among pregnant women. An unmatched, community-based case-control study was conducted among 116 randomly selected cases (breakfast skippers) and 232 neighboring controls (regular breakfast consumers). Data was collected using pre-tested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to determine predictors of breakfast skipping using STATA version 16. The odds of non-formal education (AOR = 3.92; 95% CI: 1.75, 8.78), low socioeconomic status (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.12, 7.68), poor dietary knowledge (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.29, 6.47), and experiencing morning sickness (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.13, 5.84) were higher among cases than controls. The odds of breakfast skipping were higher for every increase in family size (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.25, 2.18), but decrease with every unit increase in mid-upper arm circumference (AOR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.72) and weekly frequency of drinking coffee leaf tea beverage (AOR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.89). Findings of this study showed that poor economic status, lack of formal education, poor dietary knowledge, having morning sickness, having large family size, maternal nutritional status, and frequent consumption of coffee leaf tea beverage were significantly associated with breakfast skipping among pregnant women. Thus, efforts should focus on improving dietary awareness during pregnancy, strengthening dietary counseling during antenatal care, enhancing access to contraceptive services, and ensuring timely management of morning sickness.

Chrono-nutrition and sleep: lessons from the temporal feature of eating patterns in human studies - A systematic scoping review

An emerging field of research has revealed a bidirectional relationship between sleep and diet, highlighting the potential role of a healthy diet in improving sleep. However, the impact of chrono-nutrition on sleep remains less explored. Here we conducted a systematic scoping review, considering the multiple dimensions of chrono-nutrition, to describe the extent, range, and nature of the existing literature in this area (PROSPERO: CRD42021274637). There has been a significant increase in the literature exploring this topic over the past six years (almost 67 % of the evolving literature). A breakdown of the included studies was performed according to three major chrono-nutritional dimensions: meal timing [n = 35], irregular eating patterns [n = 84], and frequency of eating occasions [n = 3]. Meal timing included three sub-dimensions: breakfast skipping [n = 13], late eating [n = 16], and earlier vs later meals schedules [n = 6]. Irregular meal patterns included three sub-dimensions: diurnal fasting [n = 65], intermittent fasting [n = 16], and daily meal patterns [n = 3]. Frequency was the least studied dimension (n = 3). We provided a synthetic and illustrative framework underlining important preliminary evidence linking the temporal characteristics of eating patterns to various facets of sleep health. Nonetheless, much work remains to be done to provide chrono-nutrition guidelines to improve sleep health in the general population.

Chronobiological perspectives: Association between meal timing and sleep quality

BACKGROUND

Meal timing has been associated with metabolism and cardiovascular diseases; however, the relationship between meal timing and sleep quality remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the relationship between meal timing and sleep quality from a chronobiological perspective.

METHODS

This study utilized data from the NHANES for the years 2005-2008, including a cohort of 7,023 participants after applying exclusion criteria. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Meal timing was analyzed based on two 24-hour dietary recalls from each individual, considering the timing of the initial and final meals, meal duration, and frequency of meal occasions. Multiple linear regression models and hierarchical analyses were employed to examine the relationship between meal timing and PSQI scores, adjusting for various demographic and habitat covariates.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between delayed meal timings, increased meal occasions, and elevated PSQI scores, indicating that later meal timing are intricately linked with diminished sleep quality. Both later meal timings and more frequent meal occasions were significantly associated with poorer sleep quality. Compared to the first tertile, the β (95%CI) values of the third tertile were 0.545 (0.226, 0.864) for first meal timing, 0.586 (0.277, 0.896) for midpoint meal timing, 0.385 (0.090, 0.680) for last meal timing, and 0.332 (0.021, 0.642) for meal occasions in the adjusted models.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that late initial, midpoint, and final meal timing, as well as more frequent meal occasions, are chrono-nutrition patterns associated with poor sleep quality.

Nighttime eating during pregnancy and infant adiposity at 6 months of life

Introduction

Chrononutrition studies the relation between diet, circadian rhythms and metabolism, which may alter the metabolic intrauterine environment, influencing infant fat-mass (FM) development and possibly increasing obesity risk.

Aim

To evaluate the association of chrononutrition in pregnancy and infant FM at 6 months.

Methods

Healthy pregnant women and term-babies (n = 100pairs) from the OBESO cohort (2017-2023) were studied. Maternal registries included pregestational body-mass-index (BMI), gestational complications/medications, weight gain. Diet (three 24 h-recalls, 1 each trimester) and sleep-schedule (first and third trimesters) were evaluated computing fasting (hours from last-first meal), breakfast and dinner latencies (minutes between wake up-breakfast and dinner-sleep, respectively), number of main meals/day, meal skipping (≥1 main meal/d on three recalls) and nighttime eating (from 9:00 pm-5:59 am on three recalls). Neonatal weight, length, BMI/age were assessed. At 6 months, infant FM (kg, %; air-displacement plethysmography) was measured, and FM index (FMI-kgFM/length2) computed. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was recorded. Multiple linear regression models evaluated the association between chrononutrition and 6 month infant FM.

Results

Mean fasting was 11.7 ± 1.3 h; breakfast, dinner latency were 87.3 ± 75.2, 99.6 ± 65.6 min, respectively. Average meals/day were 3.0 ± 0.5. Meal skipping was reported in 3% (n = 3) of women and nighttime eating in 35% (n = 35). Most neonates had normal BMI/age (88%, n = 88). Compared to those who did not, mothers engaged in nighttime-eating had infants with higher %FM (p = 0.019). Regression models (R 2 ≥ 0.308, p ≤ 0.001) showed that nighttime eating was positively associated with %FM (B: 2.7, 95%CI: 0.32-5.16). When analyzing women without complications/medications (n = 80), nighttime eating was associated with higher FM [%FM, B: 3.24 (95%CI: 0.59-5.88); kgFM, B: 0.20 (95%CI: 0.003-0.40); FMI, B: 0.54 (95%CI: 0.03-1.05)]. Infant sex and weight (6 months) were significant, while maternal obesity, pregnancy complications/medications, parity, energy intake, birth-BMI/age, and EBF were not.

Conclusion

Maternal nighttime eating is associated with higher adiposity in 6 month infants.

Development, validation, and reliability of the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire-Pregnancy (CPQ-P)

BACKGROUND

During pregnancy, physiological changes can affect eating and sleeping habits, which may eventually have negative consequences for maternal and foetal health. To better understand these changes, it is essential to develop a reliable questionnaire that addresses lifestyle habits such as snacking and daytime napping. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire-Pregnancy (CPQ-P).

METHODS

A total of 399 women in their second and third trimester of pregnancy were recruited from government maternal and child health clinics in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and completed a self-administered online questionnaire. Content validity was conducted with an expert panel consisting of 4 members. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood was conducted to determine the construct validity. Internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (CAC), while the test-retest reliability was conducted using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

The questionnaire had an appropriate content validity index of 0.91. The CPQ-P consists of 22 items, measuring 5 constructs, including morning chrono-habits, sleeping habits, evening eating, temporal eating, and pregnancy symptoms. The factor model showed good fit with χ2/df = 2.486, GFI = 0.893, CFI = 0.912, and RMSEA = 0.065. The 22 items in CPQ-P showed fair to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.42 to 0.98). The 5 constructs in CPQ-P were found to have a good to excellent internal consistency (α = 0.612-0.963).

CONCLUSIONS

The CPQ-P is a valid and reliable tool for assessing lifestyle habits during pregnancy. The questionnaire can be used to identify areas where pregnant women may need additional support or intervention to adopt healthy behaviours and reduce the risk of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05700136 (clinicaltrials.gov). Trial registration date: 26/01/2023.

Associations of predominant night-eating with plasma glycemic status and continuous glucose monitoring measures among pregnant women

BACKGROUND & AIMS

To examine whether predominant night-eating, defined as more than 50% of total daily energy intake consumed between 1900 and 0659 h, is associated with glycemic outcomes in pregnancy.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of 277 healthy pregnant women with complete 4-day dietary intake records at 18-24 weeks gestation, recruited from KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Primary outcomes were fasting, 1-h, and 2-h plasma glucose after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks gestation. Secondary outcomes were gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR), β-cell function (HOMA2-%B), and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) measures. Glucose variables in continuous form were loge-transformed before analyses.

RESULTS

Predominant night-eating (11.6%) was associated with higher fasting glucose (geometric mean ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.05 (1.01, 1.08)) and 1-h glucose (1.11 (1.01, 1.21)), but not with 2-h glucose or GDM risk. Predominant night-eating women had lower fasting insulin (0.77 (0.63, 0.95)), lower HOMA2-IR (0.78 (0.64, 0.97)), and lower HOMA2-%B (0.77 (0.67, 0.89)) than their predominant day-eating counterparts. For CGM measures, predominant night-eating was associated with higher mean glucose (1.07 (1.00, 1.15)), higher glucose management indicator (1.05 (1.00, 1.10)), and higher overall glucose levels throughout 24 h (1.10 (1.02, 1.19)). All these associations were adjusted for socio-demographic, lifestyle factors, and diet composition.

CONCLUSION

Predominant night-eating was mainly associated with less desirable glycemic outcomes during pregnancy. Future studies should explore dietary interventions aimed at reducing consumption of relatively more calories at night than day during pregnancy.

The Problem of Malnutrition Associated with Major Depressive Disorder from a Sex-Gender Perspective

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an incapacitating condition characterized by loss of interest, anhedonia and low mood, which affects almost 4% of people worldwide. With rising prevalence, it is considered a public health issue that affects economic productivity and heavily increases health costs alone or as a comorbidity for other pandemic non-communicable diseases (such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, etc.). What is even more noteworthy is the double number of women suffering from MDD compared to men. In fact, this sex-related ratio has been contemplated since men and women have different sexual hormone oscillations, where women meet significant changes depending on the age range and moment of life (menstruation, premenstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause…), which seem to be associated with susceptibility to depressive symptoms. For instance, a decreased estrogen level promotes decreased activation of serotonin transporters. Nevertheless, sexual hormones are not the only triggers that alter neurotransmission of monoamines and other neuropeptides. Actually, different dietary habits and/or nutritional requirements for specific moments of life severely affect MDD pathophysiology in women. In this context, the present review aims to descriptively collect information regarding the role of malnutrition in MDD onset and course, focusing on female patient and especially macro- and micronutrient deficiencies (amino acids, ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs), folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, minerals…), besides providing evidence for future nutritional intervention programs with a sex-gender perspective that hopefully improves mental health and quality of life in women.