Objective: To evaluate the association of the dietary inflammatory index adjusted for energy (E-DII®) with the evolution of maternal body mass index and human milk lipid (HM) profile in the first 6 months postpartum. Methods: This is a cohort study with 260 Brazilian women (19-43 years old) in the postpartum period. Sociodemographic, gestational, and anthropometric data of the mother were obtained in the immediate postpartum period and in the six monthly meetings. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at baseline and used to calculate the E-DII score. Mature HM was collected, analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and the Rose Gottlib method. Generalized estimation equation models were built. Results: Women with >E-DII showed lower adherence to physical activity during pregnancy (p = 0.027), higher frequency of cesarean delivery (p = 0.024), and higher body mass index over time (p < 0.001). At the end of the 6th month, 35 women remained in the study. As for HM, 151 analyses were performed, detecting in the 3rd collection greater fat (%) among those with >E-DII (4.27 ± 1.98 vs. 3.75 ± 2.48; p = 0.003). Conclusion: Diets with >E-DII can impact the type of delivery, change the evolution of maternal nutritional status, and the stability of the lipid profile of HM.
Keywords: dietary inflammatory index; fatty acids; human milk; maternal health; nutritional status.