Maternal Dietary Inflammatory Potential and Offspring Birth Outcomes in a Chinese Population

Background: Chronic inflammation perturbations during pregnancy may impact fetal growth; however, research on the association between dietary inflammation and birth outcomes is limited and inconsistent.

Objectives: This study seeks to assess whether the dietary inflammatory potential is related to birth outcomes among pregnant women in China.

Methods: A total of 7194 mothers aged 17-46 y and their infants in China were included in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed by a FFQ, which yielded scores on the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII). Birth outcomes included birth weight, gestational age, birth weight z score, low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age (SGA), large-for-gestational-age (LGA), and birth defects. Generalized estimating equation and restricted cubic spline fit each outcome on continuous or quartiles of E-DII after adjusting for covariates.

Results: The maternal E-DII ranged from -5.35 to 6.77. Overall, birth weight and gestation age (mean ± SD) were 3267.9 ± 446.7 g and 39.6 ± 1.3 wk, respectively, and the birth weight z score was 0.02 ± 1.14. A total of 3.2% of infants were born with LBW, 6.1% with macrosomia, 3.0% were preterm birth, 10.7% were born SGA, 10.0% were born LGA, and 2.0% were born with birth defects. E-DII was associated with a 9.8 g decrease in birth weight (95% CI: -16.9, -2.6) and a 1.09-fold (95% CI: 1.01, 1.18), 1.11-fold (95% CI: 1.02, 1.21), and 1.12-fold (95% CI: 1.02, 1.24) greater risk of LBW, preterm birth, and birth defects, respectively. The maternal E-DII score was nonlinearly associated with gestational age (P for linearity = 0.009, P for curvature = 0.044).

Conclusions: Among pregnant Chinese women, proinflammatory diets during pregnancy were related to reduced offspring birth weight and an increased risk of LBW, preterm birth, and birth defects. These findings might inform potential prevention strategies for pregnant women in China.