Nutritional behavior in pregnancy

Maternal exposure to E 551 during pregnancy leads to genome-wide DNA methylation changes and metabolic disorders in the livers of pregnant mice and their fetuses

The widespread use of nanoparticles in the food industry has raised concerns regarding their potential adverse effects on human health, particularly in vulnerable populations, including pregnant mothers and fetuses. However, studies evaluating the reproductive and developmental toxicity of food-grade nanomaterials are limited. This study investigated the potential risks of prenatal dietary exposure to food-grade silica nanoparticles (E 551) on maternal health and fetal growth using conventional toxicological and epigenetic methods. The results showed that prenatal exposure to a high-dose of E 551 induces fetal resorption. Moreover, E 551 significantly accumulates in maternal and fetal livers, triggering a hepatic inflammatory response. At the epigenetic level, global DNA methylation is markedly altered in the maternal and fetal livers. Genome-wide DNA methylation sequencing revealed affected mCG, mCHG, and mCHH methylation landscapes. Subsequent bioinformatic analysis of the differentially methylated genes suggests that E 551 poses a risk of inducing metabolic disorders in maternal and fetal livers. This is further evidenced by impaired glucose tolerance in pregnant mice and altered expression of key metabolism-related genes and proteins in maternal and fetal livers. Collectively, the results of this study highlighted the importance of epigenetics in characterizing the potential toxicity of maternal exposure to food-grade nanomaterials during pregnancy.

Is the Theory of Planned Behavior a good model for predicting salt consumption behavior in pregnant women? A structural equation modeling approach

BACKGROUND

Non-communicable illnesses are the leading reason for wide-reaching death. Reducing the burden of these illnesses is one of the significant objectives of the World Health Organization's action plan. In this respect, reducing salt consumption is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. The present study aimed to adjust the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in expecting salt consumption behavior in pregnant women visiting the health centers in Birjand.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 273 pregnant women who visited the health centers in Birjand were selected through Quota sampling method. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire based on the TPB constructs. The data analysis was done in SPSS 19 and AMOS 24.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 27.33 ± 5.77 years, and their mean gestational age was 12.67 ± 4.11 weeks. The mean score of attitude construct was 86.54 ± 8.50, subjective norm construct 36.59 ± 4.47, perceived behavioral control construct 41.63 ± 7.01, intention construct 16.01 ± 2.65 and behavior construct 19.86 ± 2.57. There was a statistically significant relationship between attitude construct (p < 0.001), perceived behavioral control (p < 0.001), and intention (p < 0.001) with salt consumption behavior (p < 0.05). The goodness of fit indices showed a proper fit of data (χ2/df = 1.94, PNFI = 0.6, TLI = 0.9, CFI = 0.9 and RMSE = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that the TPB is an appropriate model for reviewing the behavior of salt consumption. Hence, this model offers a suitable basis for designing an educational intervention to regulate the quantity of salt consumed by pregnant women and; thus, its usage in health promotion programs is suggested.

Nutritional Health Knowledge and Literacy among Pregnant Women in the Czech Republic: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Adequate nutrition and the nutritional status of pregnant women are critical for the health of both the mother and the developing foetus. Research has shown a significant impact of nutrition on the child's health and the future risk of developing chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. There is currently no data on the level of nutritional knowledge of Czech pregnant women. This survey aimed to evaluate their level of nutritional knowledge and literacy. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in two healthcare facilities in Prague and Pilsen between April and June 2022. An anonymous self-administered paper-form questionnaire for assessing the level of nutritional knowledge (40 items) and the Likert scale for assessing nutrition literacy (5 items) were used. A total number of 401 women completed the questionnaire. An individual's nutritional knowledge score was calculated and compared with demographic and anamnestic characteristics using statistical methods. The results showed that only 5% of women achieved an overall nutritional score of 80% or more. University education (p < 0.001), living in the capital city (p < 0.001), experiencing first pregnancy (p = 0.041), having normal weight and being overweight (p = 0.024), and having NCDs (p = 0.044) were statistically significantly associated with a higher nutritional knowledge score. The lowest knowledge scores were found in the areas of optimal energy intake, optimal weight gain, and the role of micronutrients in diet during pregnancy. In conclusion, the study shows limited nutrition knowledge of Czech pregnant women in some areas of nutrition. Increasing nutritional knowledge and nutrition literacy in Czech pregnant women is crucial for supporting their optimal course of pregnancy and the future health of their offspring.

Prevalence and determinants of anemia during the third trimester of pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Anemia during pregnancy is a significant health problem. We aim to measure the prevalence of anemia in the third trimester of pregnancy in a specific geographical area and identify its risk factors.

METHODS

A cross-section study was conducted in the antenatal clinic at Beni-Suef University Hospital on 383 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy. All enrolled women were interviewed about age, education, occupation, family income, vitamin intake, medical history, and nutritional history. A blood sample was examined for hemoglobin concentration from each enrolled woman.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anemia was 72%. Multiparity, infrequent antenatal visits, irregular intake of iron supplements, low weekly intake of meat and fruits, and frequent daily tea consumption were identified as risk factors for anemia. About 23.6% of the anemic women had small-for-gestational-age fetuses (RR = 25.2).

CONCLUSION

Anemia by the third trimester of pregnancy represents a major health problem in Beni-Suef, Egypt.