First-trimester diet quality in association with maternal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses and glucose homeostasis during pregnancy

Abstract

We aimed to characterise the associations between first-trimester diet quality, adiposity, and glucose homeostasis measurements throughout pregnancy in a sample of 104 healthy pregnant women. Three Web-based 24-h recalls were completed, from which the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) was calculated. At each trimester (12.5 ± 0.7, 22.8 ± 1.0, and 33.6 ± 1.3 weeks of gestation), fasting glucose and insulin were measured to compute an insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thicknesses were estimated by ultrasound at the end of the first trimester. Inverse associations were observed between the first-trimester AHEI and first-trimester fasting insulin (r = 0.24; p < 0.05), and HOMA-IR (r = −0.22; p < 0.05), as well as third-trimester fasting insulin (r = −0.20; p < 0.05). A trend was also observed between first-trimester AHEI and first-trimester SAT thickness (r = −0.17; p < 0.1). Pre- and early-pregnancy adiposity measurements were identified as high predictors fasting insulin concentrations throughout pregnancy. Higher early-pregnancy diet quality is associated with more favourable metabolic measurements during pregnancy.

Keywords:

• Pregnancy
• diet quality
• prenatal nutrition
• adiposity
• glucose homeostasis
• insulin resistance

Authors’ Contributions

A.-S.M., J.R., S.L., C.G., and S.J.W. designed research; A.-S.P., M.G., and A.-S.M. conducted research; E.B. analysed data, and E.B. wrote the first draft of the manuscript. A.-S.M. had primary responsibility for the final content. All authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the manuscript, and all critically revised the first draft of the manuscript for important intellectual content. Finally, all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

A.T. receives funding from Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and GI Windows for research unrelated to the present study. A.T. has acted as consultant for Bausch Health, Novo Nordisk, and Biotwin. Other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the present study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The ANGE project is funded by the Danone Institute of Canada (grant number: FO115961) and by start-up funds from the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé and the Fondation du CHU de Québec, Université Laval). The PAGG project is funded by the Fondation du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, and the Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF), Université Laval. All funding allowed the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, but played no role in the writing of this manuscript. E.B. received graduate scholarship awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé.