A randomized longitudinal dietary intervention study during pregnancy: effects on fish intake, phospholipids, and body composition
Journal article, 2015

Background Fish and meat intake may affect gestational weight gain, body composition and serum fatty acids. We aimed to determine whether a longitudinal dietary intervention during pregnancy could increase fish intake, affect serum phospholipid fatty acids, gestational weight gain and body composition changes during pregnancy in women of normal weight participating in the Pregnancy Obesity Nutrition and Child Health study. A second aim was to study possible effects in early pregnancy of fish intake and meat intake, respectively, on serum phospholipid fatty acids, gestational weight gain, and body composition changes during pregnancy. Methods In this prospective, randomized controlled study, women were allocated to a control group or to a dietary counseling group that focused on increasing fish intake. Fat mass and fat-free mass were measured by air-displacement plethysmography. Reported intake of fish and meat was collected from a baseline population and from a subgroup of women who participated in each trimester of their pregnancies. Serum levels of phospholipid arachidonic acid (s-ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (s-EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (s-DHA) were measured during each trimester. Results Weekly fish intake increased only in the intervention group (n = 18) from the first to the second trimester (median difference 113 g, p = 0.03) and from the first to the third trimester (median difference 75 g, p = 0.01). In the first trimester, fish intake correlated with s-EPA (r = 0.36, p = 0.002, n = 69) and s-DHA (r = 0.34, p = 0.005, n = 69), and meat intake correlated with s-ARA (r = 0.28, p = 0.02, n = 69). Fat-free mass gain correlated with reported meat intake in the first trimester (r = 0.39, p = 0.01, n = 45). Conclusions Dietary counseling throughout pregnancy could help women increase their fish intake. Intake of meat in early pregnancy may increase the gain in fat-free mass during pregnancy.

body composition

Pregnancy

fatty acids

meat intake

fish intake

Author

Marja Bosaeus

University of Gothenburg

Ays Hussain

University of Gothenburg

Therese Karlsson

University of Gothenburg

Louise Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Lena Hulthén

University of Gothenburg

Cecilia Svelander

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Ann-Sofie Sandberg

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Ingrid Larsson

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Lars Ellegård

University of Gothenburg

Agneta Holmäng

University of Gothenburg

Nutrition Journal

14752891 (eISSN)

Vol. 14 1 1

Areas of Advance

Life Science Engineering (2010-2018)

Subject Categories

Health Sciences

Nutrition and Dietetics

DOI

10.1186/1475-2891-14-1

PubMed

25554072

More information

Latest update

3/9/2022 1