Objective: To examine the association between fruit intake and blood glucose metabolism.
Methods: Healthy singleton pregnant women with 6-14 weeks of gestation were selected in a maternal-and-child health care institution in Chengdu from February to July 2017. Dietary information was obtained by 3-day 24-hour dietary recall during each trimester, and the average daily total fruit intake per person were calculated. According to the Dietary guidelines for Chinese pregnant women(2016), insufficient rates of fruits were calculated, and the participants were divided into insufficient intake group, suitable intake group and higher intake group. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between fruit intake during pregnancy and fasting blood glucose, 1-h plasma glucose and 2-h plasma glucose. Log-binomial regression model was used to analyze the association between fruit intake during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).
Results: Valid samples of 1453 cases in early pregnancy, 1049 cases in middle pregnancy were included, the age was(28.5±4.0)years old. The average fruit intake during the early and middle pregnancy(M(P25, P75)) were 279.7(180.8, 415.2) g/d and 232.0(100.0, 390.0) g/d, respectively. The insufficient rates were 18.8% and 43.2%, respectively. After adjusting for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, education level, family income, family history of diabetes, parity, physical activity, energy, vegetables, grains, red meat, and beverages, multiple linear regression result showed that compared with the insufficient fruit intake group, in the suitable fruit intake group, the fasting blood glucose level was decreased(β=-0.071, 95%CI-0.111--0.003). Results of log binomial regression analysis showed that when compared with the fruit suitable intake group during the second trimester, the insufficient intake group may increase the risk of GDM(RR=1.13, 95% CI 1.11-1.58); no association between fruit intake during the early pregnancy and blood glucose metabolism was observed.
Conclusion: Fruit intake during pregnancy is associated with blood glucose metabolism. The appropriate amount of fruit intake may improve fasting blood glucose and insufficient intake of fruits during the second trimester may increase the risk of GDM.
Keywords: blood glucose metabolism; fruits; pregnancy.