A newborn's weight is considered a major determinant in perinatal morbidity and mortality and is largely determined by prenatal diet, gestational weight gain and pre-pregnancy maternal BMI.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties available in the Meditteranean style diet, along with phsyical activity, has shown to provide extensive benefits for all individuals, however, pregnancy is a window of opportunity due to the benefits to the mother and child.
This study aims to determine how physical activity and consuming a Mediterranean style diet during pregnancy impacts on maternal gestational weight gain, neonatal body composition at birth and infant weight at one year of age.
Adherence to a Mediterranean diet in pregnancy has shown to protect against cardio metabolic risk in offspring. Nutritional intervention with supplemented Mediterranean diet has also shown to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and gestational diabetes mellitus. In addition, the benefits of a periconceptional maternal Mediterranean diet has also been associated with favourable neurobehavioural outcomes in early childhood.
In addition to diet, physical activity during pregnancy has been shown to bring significant benefits on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions to the pregnant woman. Studies have shown that children of mothers who exercise during the gestational period have increased gestational age, lower birth weight, and a lower body mass index.
Neonates born to physically active mothers have also been found to be leaner at five years of age, showing that children of mothers who exercise during pregnancy maintain a leaner body mass index.
The Mediterranean diet study will be analysing data from a total 800 mother/infant dyad participants in ORIGINS. This research will provide valuable information to see if newborn body fat composition and infant weight are related to maternal adherence to the Mediterranean diet and exercise compliance during pregnancy, along with determining an increased risk of the newborn developing non-communicable diseases later in life.
Investigators
- Professor Desiree Silva at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Erika Hagemann at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Lisa Gibson at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Danella Ashwin student at the Oceania University of Medicine
- Sharon Vincent student at the Oceania University of Medicine