Healthy prenatal diet linked to better infant growth

Following a healthy prenatal diet, as outlined by the US Dietary Guidelines, helps reduce the likelihood of rapid or slow infant growth, both of which are risk factors for obesity, according to a study.

The study included 2,854 birthing parent–child dyads (median maternal age 30 years, 51.3 percent male infants, 22.4 percent Black). Prenatal dietary quality was evaluated according to the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP). 

Study outcomes included infant birth weight (ie, small for gestational age [SGA], reference range, large for gestational age [LGA]) and infant growth from birth to ages 6, 12, and 24 months (ie, slow growth [weight-for-length z score (WLZ) score difference of less than −0.67], within reference range [WLZ score difference of −0.67 to 0.67], and rapid growth [WLZ score difference of greater than 0.67]).

Compared with an HEI score of not more than 80, higher HEI scores (>80, indicating a healthier dietary pattern) was associated with lower odds of LGA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.88, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.79–0.98), rapid growth from birth to age 6 months (aOR, 0.80, 95 percent CI, 0.37–0.94) and age 24 months (aOR, 0.82, 95 percent CI, 0.70–0.96), and slow growth from birth to age 6 months (aOR, 0.65, 95 percent CI, 0.50–0.84), 12 months (aOR, 0.74, 95 percent CI, 0.65–0.83), and 24 months (OR, 0.65, 95 percent CI, 0.56–0.76). High HEI showed no association with SGA (aOR, 1.14, 95 percent CI, 0.95–1.35).

Compared with an EDIP score of at least 63.6, lower EDIP scores (≤63.6, indicating a less inflammatory diet) was associated with higher odds of LGA (aOR, 1.24, 95 percent CI, 1.13–1.36) and rapid infant growth from birth to age 12 months (aOR, 1.50, 95 percent CI, 1.18–1.91) and lower odds of rapid growth to age 6 months (aOR, 0.77, 95 percent CI, 0.71–0.83). EDIP scores showed no association with SGA (aOR, 0.80, 95 percent CI, 0.51–1.25).