Associations of adherence to the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet with maternal c-reactive protein levels during pregnancy

Paige F van der Pligt; Sara Ebrahimi; Konsita Kuswara; Gavin R Abbott; Sarah A McNaughton; Sheikh Mohammed Shariful Islam; Stacey J Ellery

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2023.11.001

Associations of adherence to the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet with maternal c-reactive protein levels during pregnancy

Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024 Mar;34(3):672-680. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.11.001. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Authors

Paige F van der Pligt¹, Sara Ebrahimi², Konsita Kuswara³, Gavin R Abbott⁴, Sarah A McNaughton⁴, Sheikh Mohammed Shariful Islam⁴, Stacey J Ellery⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia; Department of Nutrition, Western Health, Footscray, Australia. Electronic address: p.vanderpligt@deakin.edu.au.
² School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia; The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
³ School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia.
⁴ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.
⁵ The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 38172005
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.11.001

Abstract

Background and aims: Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) during pregnancy, a marker of inflammation, is associated with adverse outcomes. Better understanding the relationship between CRP and modifiable factors, including diet, is essential to assist early pregnancy lifestyle interventions. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH-diet) and the Mediterranean diet (MED-diet) during pregnancy with maternal plasma CRP in early and late pregnancy.

Methods and results: Secondary analysis of the Creatine and Pregnancy Outcomes (CPO) study was undertaken. Women (n = 215) attending antenatal clinics through Monash Health, Melbourne were recruited at 10-20 weeks gestation. Medical history and blood samples were collected at 5 antenatal visits. Adapted DASH-diet and MED-diet scores were calculated from Food Frequency Questionnaires completed at early ([mean ± SD]) (15 ± 3 weeks) and late (36 ± 1 week) pregnancy. CRP was measured in maternal plasma samples collected at the same time points. Adjusted linear regression models assessed associations of early-pregnancy DASH and MED-diet scores with early and late pregnancy plasma CRP. There were no statistically significant changes in DASH-diet score from early (23.5 ± 4.8) to late (23.5 ± 5.2) pregnancy (p = 0.97) or MED-diet score from early (3.99 ± 1.6) to late pregnancy (4.08 ± 1.8) (p = 0.41). At early-pregnancy, there was an inverse relationship between DASH-diet scores and MED-diet scores with plasma CRP; (β = -0.04 [95%CI = -0.07, -0.00], p = 0.044), (β = -0.12 [95%CI = -0.21, -0.02], p = 0.023).

Conclusion: Adherence to the DASH-diet and MED-diet during early pregnancy may be beneficial in reducing inflammation. Assessment of maternal dietary patterns may assist development of preventive strategies, including dietary modification, to optimise maternal cardiometabolic health in pregnancy.

Keywords: C-reactive protein; DASH diet; Inflammation; Mediterranean diet; Pregnancy.

MeSH terms

C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
Diet, Mediterranean*
Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension*
Female
Humans
Inflammation
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome

Substances

C-Reactive Protein