Exploring the diets of mothers and their partners during pregnancy: Findings from the Queensland Family Cohort pilot study.

Shelley A Wilkinson, Danielle A J M Schoenaker, Susan de Jersey, Clare E Collins, Linda Gallo, Megan Rollo, Danielle Borg, Marloes Dekker Nitert, Helen Truby, Helen L Barrett, Sailesh Kumar, Vicki Clifton

Journal: Nutrition & dietetics : the journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia 2022;79(5):602-615

PMID: 35355379

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Abstract

AIM

Modifiable behaviours during the first 1000 days of life influence developmental trajectories of adult chronic diseases. Despite this, sub-optimal dietary intakes during pregnancy and excessive gestational weight gain are common. Very little is known about partners' dietary patterns and the influence on women's pregnancy dietary patterns. We aimed to examine dietary intake during pregnancy among women and their partners, and gestational weight gain patterns in the Queensland Family Cohort pilot study.

METHODS

The Queensland Family Cohort is a prospective, observational study piloted at a Brisbane (Australia) tertiary maternity hospital from 2018 to 2021. Participant characteristics, weight gain, dietary and nutrient intake were assessed.

RESULTS

Data were available for 194 pregnant women and their partners. Poor alignment with Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommendations was observed. Highest alignment was for fruit (40% women) and meat/alternatives (38% partners) and lowest for breads/cereals (<1% women) and milk/alternatives (13% partners). Fewer women (4.4%-60.3%) than their partners (5.4%-92.3%) met guidelines for all micronutrient intakes from food alone, particularly folic acid, iodine, and iron. Women were more likely to meet daily recommendations for fruit, vegetables, dairy, bread/cereals, and meat/alternatives when their partners also met recommendations. Women with a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index were more likely to gain above recommended weight gain ranges.

CONCLUSIONS

In this contemporary cohort of pregnant women and their partners, sub-optimal dietary patterns and deficits in some nutrients were common. There is an urgent need for evidence-informed public health policy and programs to improve diet quality during pregnancy due to intergenerational effects.

Address: Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Human Movements and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland.; Faculty of Medicine, School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.; NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.; School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.; Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Clinical Research and Perinatal Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.; Queensland Family Cohort, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.; Department of Endocrinology, Mater Health, South Brisbane, Australia; Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; Mater Centre for Maternal Fetal Medicine, Mater Mothers Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12733

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Male, Mothers, Pilot Projects, Prospective Studies, Queensland, Gestational Weight Gain, Australia, Diet, Edible Grain, Weight Gain