La nutrición en el embarazo y las primeras etapas de la vida en relación con la obesidad y marcadores metabólicos en niños pre-puberales: un estudio de la Unión Europea (UE) y España.

Duration

2008-2012

Coordinator

Manolis Kogevinas (ISGlobal)

Funded by

Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Although there is evidence indicating that foetal growth is related with obesity and metabolic diseases in the long term, there have been few studies that have explored the role of the mother’s nutrition in these diseases. This study, which is part of the EARNET European project, will examine:



The prevalence of potentially obesogenic dietary trends during pregnancy

The relationship between the mother’s diet and obesity and obesity and metabolic dysfunction markers in 4 year old children.



The first part of the project will use data from existing studies in order to describe dietary trends in over 200,000 pregnant women from several European countries.

We will standardize data on food consumption in order to obtain comparable measurements, and we will assess dietary trends such as the Mediterranean diet, in addition to factors such as the consumption of saturated fats and fibre. This project will provide essential data to help develop regional policies regarding nutrition during pregnancy. The second part of the study will use data from the INMA study (Childhood and the Environment) in Sabadell/Barcelona.



The INMA study has collected information on diet and anthropometry between week 12 of gestation and 1 year of age in a sample of 650 children and their mothers. Data on childhood obesity, metabolic functioning, diet and activity at 4 years of age will be collected. Statistical models will be applied to explore the relationships between the mother’s diet and obesity during pregnancy and foetal growth patterns and obesity and metabolic diseases in their children at 4 years of age.