Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Prevention of Excessive Weight Gain during Pregnancy: Study in a Cohort of Normal Weight Caucasian Women

Abstract

This study investigated the association between adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) and the risk of excessive Gestational Weight Gain (GWG).

Ninety five Caucasian normal weight pregnant women were recruited within the 16thgestational week. We evaluated the adherence to MD at recruitment (T0) and at third trimester (T1) by validated food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to MD was indicated by a score between 0 and 13. Adequate GWG was defined in according with IOM (Institute of Medicine, 2009) recommendations.

The 26.3% dropped out, then the completer participants were 70 (33.2±3.5 ys, 74.3% nulliparous).

MD score at T0 was 7.2±1.5 and it did not significantly change at T1. Mean MD score between T0 and T1 was 7.3±1.3: a good adherence to MD, defined by MD score?8, was satisfied by 27.1%. The GWG at T1 was adequate in 64.3%, while exceed in 35.7%. Women with adequate GWG showed a MD score significantly higher than women with excessive GWG (MD score: 7.5±1.3 vs 6.8±1.0, p=0.02).

A good adherence to MD was associated with a significantly lower risk ratio of excessive GWG (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.1-0.9, p=0.04).

MD could be a dietary pattern able to prevent excessive GWG in normal weight women.