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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 23729

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giorgia Sebastiani

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Guest Editor

Department of Neonatology, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, Institut Clínic de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia i Neonatologia (ICGON), Spain BCNatal | Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Barcelona, Spain
Interests: neonate; nutrition; pregnancy; epigenetic pattern; microbiota; metabolism; probiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Vicente Andreu-Fernández

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Guest Editor

Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
Interests: nutrition; pregnancy; epigenetic pattern; microbiota; probiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Balanced maternal nutrition during pregnancy is crucial to maintain an adequate environment for optimal fetal development. According to the theory of “early life programming” environmental factors and lifestyle during pregnancy determine the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life and also influence lifelong health in offspring. Pregnancy is a critical window of opportunity to provide dietetic habits that are beneficial for fetal healthy. Each stage of fetal growth is dependent on appropriate maternal nutrient transfer, so a balanced diet is essential to avoid fetal complications. Moreover, different nutrients are able to influence and modify the epigenetic pattern in the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, which is the most sensitive period to epigenetic changes that will persist in adult life.

It has been described that maternal microbiota composition during pregnancy is related to maternal diet and by pre-pregnancy weight and weight gain over the course of pregnancy. In recent years, controversy has arisen over whether the colonization starts intrauterine, with the microbiota present in the placenta and the amniotic fluid, or during the delivery process. Maternal Diet during pregnancy may influence the infant gut microbiome through vertical transfer of maternal microbes to infants during vaginal delivery and breastfeeding. Therefore, the microbiome modulates the inflammatory mechanisms related to physiological and pathological processes that are involved in the perinatal progress through different mechanisms and it may influence the susceptibility to infections and diseases.

Dr. Giorgia Sebastiani

Dr. Vicente Andreu-Fernández
Guest Editors

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Keywords

newborn
nutrition
pregnancy
epigenetic pattern
microbiota
target micronutrients

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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34 pages, 1577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional, Anthropometric and Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Fatty Acids Profile of Pregnant Women’s Serum at Labour—Chemometric Studies

by Magdalena Broś-Konopielko, Agnieszka Białek, Luiza Oleszczuk-Modzelewska, Barbara Zaleśkiewicz, Anna Różańska-Walędziak and Krzysztof Czajkowski

Nutrients 2021, 13(9), 2948; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13092948 - 25 Aug 2021

Viewed by 2319

Abstract

Diet influences the health of pregnant women and their children in prenatal, postnatal and adult periods. GC-FID fatty acids profile analysis in maternal serum and a survey of dietary habits were performed in 161 pregnant patients from the II Faculty and Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Medical University of Warsaw. Their diet did not fulfil all nutritional recommendations regarding dietary fat sources. Olive and rapeseed oil were the most popular edible oils. High usage of sunflower oil as well as high consumption of butter were also observed, whereas fish and fish oil intake by pregnant women was low. A chemometric approach for nutritional data, connected with anthropometric, sociodemographic and biochemical parameters regarding mothers and newborns, was conducted for diet and its impact estimation. It revealed four clusters of patients with differing fatty acids profile, which resulted from differences in their dietary habits. Multiparous women to a lesser extent followed dietary recommendations, which resulted in deterioration of fatty acids profile and higher frequency of complications. Observed high usage of sunflower oil is disquieting due to its lower oxidative stability, whereas high butter consumption is beneficial due to conjugated linoleic acids supply. Pregnant women should also be encouraged to introduce fish and fish oil into their diet, as these products are rich sources of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA). Multiparous women should be given special medical care by medical providers (physicians, midwifes and dietitians) and growing attention from the government to diminish the risk of possible adverse effects affecting mother and child. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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14 pages, 622 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Amino Acid Composition of Amniotic Fluid during the Perinatal Period Reflects Mother’s Fat and Carbohydrate Intake

by Mitsue Sano, Haruna Nagura, Sayako Ueno and Akira Nakashima

Nutrients 2021, 13(7), 2136; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13072136 - 22 Jun 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2161

Abstract

Dietary content during pregnancy is important because it is necessary for the growth of the fetus. With the assumption that the nutritional status of the fetus can be monitored by measuring amino acid concentrations in the amniotic fluid, we investigated whether the habitual dietary intake of pregnant women affected the composition of the amniotic fluid and the significance of performing amniotic fluid analysis. The subjects were 34 mothers who delivered full-term babies by cesarean section. Three biological samples were collected from the mothers: blood, cord blood, and amniotic fluid. At the same time, the mothers’ prenatal nutritional intake information was also recorded. When the amino acid contents of the samples were compared with the mothers’ nutrient intake, many amino acids in the amniotic fluid were positively correlated with lipid intake, but not with protein intake. There was a negative correlation between lipid intake and carbohydrate intake, and the amino acid contents of the amniotic fluid were also negatively correlated with carbohydrate intake. The results of this study were consistent with those found in animal models, suggesting that the analysis of amniotic fluid may be a useful method to investigate the effects of habitual diet during human pregnancy on the fetus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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12 pages, 934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Children’s Health Habits and COVID-19 Lockdown in Catalonia: Implications for Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases

by Paula Sol Ventura, Ana F. Ortigoza, Yanira Castillo, Zelmira Bosch, Sara Casals, Cristina Girbau, Jose M. Siurana, Amalia Arce, Marisa Torres and Francisco J. Herrero

Nutrients 2021, 13(5), 1657; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13051657 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5751

Abstract

Lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic imposed changes in children’s daily routine that could lead to changes in behavior patterns. Using a survey targeted at children under 17 years of age, we described dietary (adherence to Mediterranean diet, AMD) and sleeping habits (disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep) after the implementation of lockdown, and examined the probability of the inadequate frequency of physical activity (PA) and use of TV and electronic devices (TV-ED) before and after lockdown through generalized estimating equation models, accounting for age and gender differences. From 3464 children included, 53.2% showed optimal AMD; 79.2% referred to delayed bedtime; and 16.3% were suspected of sleeping disorders after the implementation of lockdown. Delay in bedtime was more frequent among children older than 6 years, and inadequate sleeping hours among those younger than 11 years. There were no gender differences in AMD or sleeping habits. The odds of inadequate frequency of PA and TV-ED use were greater after lockdown, with a greater risk for TV-ED use. Boys were at greater risk of inadequate PA frequency and TV-ED use. Odds ratio of inadequate PA was greater at older ages. Lockdown could influence changes in children’s habits that could lead to risk factors for non-communicable diseases during adulthood if such behaviors are sustained over time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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Review

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21 pages, 1170 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of Maternal Microbiota and Nutrition in Early-Life Neurodevelopmental Disorders

by Anissa Daliry and Evelyn Nunes Goulart da Silva Pereira

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3533; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13103533 - 09 Oct 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4248

Abstract

The rise in the prevalence of obesity and other related metabolic diseases has been paralleled by an increase in the frequency of neurodevelopmental problems, which has raised the likelihood of a link between these two phenomena. In this scenario, maternal microbiota is a possible linking mechanistic pathway. According to the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” paradigm, environmental exposures (in utero and early life) can permanently alter the body’s structure, physiology, and metabolism, increasing illness risk and/or speeding up disease progression in offspring, adults, and even generations. Nutritional exposure during early developmental stages may induce susceptibility to the later development of human diseases via interactions in the microbiome, including alterations in brain function and behavior of offspring, as explained by the gut–brain axis theory. This review provides an overview of the implications of maternal nutrition on neurodevelopmental disorders and the establishment and maturation of gut microbiota in the offspring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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15 pages, 990 KiB

Open AccessReview

Do Lifestyle Interventions in Pregnant Women with Overweight or Obesity Have an Effect on Neonatal Adiposity? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

by Naiara F. Baroni, Nayara R. Baldoni, Geisa C. S. Alves, Lívia C. Crivellenti, Giordana C. Braga and Daniela S. Sartorelli

Nutrients 2021, 13(6), 1903; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13061903 - 01 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3078

Abstract

Excessive body fat at birth is a risk factor for the development of childhood obesity. The aim of the present systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of lifestyle interventions in pregnant women with overweight or obesity on neonatal adiposity. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and LILACS databases were used as information sources. Original articles from randomized clinical trials of lifestyle intervention studies on pregnant women with excessive body weight and the effect on neonatal adiposity were considered eligible. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane criteria. The meta-analysis was calculated using the inverse variance for continuous data expressed as mean difference (MD), using the random effect model with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The outcomes were submitted to the GRADE evaluation. Of 2877 studies, four were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis (n = 1494). All studies were conducted in developed countries, with three including pregnant women with overweight or obesity, and one only pregnant women with obesity. The interventions had no effect on neonatal adiposity [Heterogeneity = 56%, MD = −0.21, CI = (−0.92, 0.50)] with low confidence in the evidence, according to GRADE. Studies are needed in low- and medium-developed countries with different ethnic-racial populations. PROSPERO (CRD42020152489). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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Other

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24 pages, 650 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Impact of Lifestyle, Diet and Physical Activity on Epigenetic Changes in the Offspring—A Systematic Review

by Louise Rasmussen, Sine Knorr, Christian Skødt Antoniussen, Jens Meldgaard Bruun, Per Glud Ovesen, Jens Fuglsang and Ulla Kampmann

Nutrients 2021, 13(8), 2821; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu13082821 - 17 Aug 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5065

Abstract

Aims: This systematic review examines the association between maternal lifestyle, diet and physical activity, and epigenetic changes in the offspring. Methods: A literature search was conducted using multiple science databases: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library, on 10 March 2021. RCT and Cohort studies in English or Scandinavian languages were included. Exposure variables included diet, lifestyle, meal patterns or physical activity. Studies using dietary supplements as exposure variables were excluded. Outcome variables included were DNA methylation, microRNA or histone changes in placenta, cord blood or offspring. Two independent authors screened, read and extracted data from the included papers. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2) and The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Cohort Study Checklist were used to assess risk of bias in the included studies. A qualitative approach was employed due to heterogeneity of exposures and results of the studies. Results: 16 studies and 3617 participants were included in the final analysis. The exposure variables included physical activity, carbohydrate, low glycemic index diet, added sugar, fat, Mediterranean diet and pro-inflammatory diet. The outcome variables identified were differences in DNA methylation and microRNA. Most studies described epigenetic changes in either placenta or cord blood. Genes reported to be methylated were GR, HSD2, IGF-2, PLAG1, MEG-3, H19 and RXRA. However, not all studies found epigenetic changes strong enough to pass multiple testing, and the study quality varied. Conclusion: Despite the variable quality of the included studies, the results in this review suggest that there may be an association between the mother’s lifestyle, diet and level of physical activity during pregnancy and epigenetic changes in the offspring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Maternal and Child Health)

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