Fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K have been shown to play roles in immunity and inflammation, but studies on child allergic disease have been few and inconsistent. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between maternal intake of vitamins A, E and K in mid-pregnancy and child asthma and allergic rhinitis. We used data on 44 594 mother–child pairs from the Danish National Birth Cohort. Maternal intake of fat-soluble vitamins was calculated based on the information from a validated FFQ completed in mid-pregnancy. At 18 months, interviews with the mothers were conducted to evaluate doctor-diagnosed child asthma. At age 7 years, we assessed child asthma and allergic rhinitis using questions from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and by national registries on hospital contacts and medication use. Current asthma was defined as asthma diagnosis and wheeze in the past 12 months by maternal report. We calculated multivariable risk ratios and 95 % CI by comparing the highestv. lowest quintile (Q) of maternal vitamin A, E and K intake in relation to child allergic disease outcomes. Maternal total vitamin K intake was directly associated with ever admitted asthma (Q5v. Q1: 1·23, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·50) and current asthma at 7 years (Q5v. Q1: 1·30, 95 % CI 0·99, 1·70). Weak inverse associations were present for maternal vitamin A and E intake during pregnancy with child allergic rhinitis. Maternal vitamin K intake during pregnancy may increase the risk of child asthma, and should be explored further on a mechanistic level. Conversely, maternal vitamin A and E intake may protect against child allergic rhinitis.
24 January 2019 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Objective: To examine the association between mid‐pregnancy dietary patterns and pregnancy‐associated hypertension (PAH).Design: A prospective longitudinal cohort study.Setting: Denmark.Population: About 55 139 Danish women with single enrolments and recorded food frequency questionnaire dates with complete information on dietary intake.Methods: Women were eligible if they could speak Danish and were planning to carry to term. Diet was assessed using a validated semi‐quantitative 360‐item food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis.Main outcome measures: Gestational hypertension (GH) and pre‐eclampsia (PE).Results: Disease prevalence was 14% for GH (5491/39 362); 2% for PE (1168/54 778), and 0.4% for severe PE (234/55 086). Seven dietary patterns were characterised in the population, of which two were associated with PAH. The Seafood diet characterised by high consumption of fish and vegetables was inversely associated with the odds of developing GH [odds ratio (OR) 0.86; 95% CI 0.77–0.95)] and PE (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.65–0.97). The Western diet characterised by high consumption of potatoes (including French fries), mixed meat, margarine and white bread increased the odds of developing GH (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.05–1.33) and PE (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.11–1.76). No association was seen with severe PE.Conclusions: We found protective associations of Seafood diet and harmful associations of Western diet with PAH. Dietary interventions encouraging the reduction of Western diet may contribute to a decrease of PAH.Tweetable Western diet increases (Seafood diet decreases) the likelihood of developing pre‐eclampsia among Danish pregnant women.
Past studies suggest that maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy may protect against child wheeze but studies on asthma are limited. Our objective was to examine the relation between intake of vitamin D in mid-pregnancy and child asthma and allergic rhinitis at 18 months and 7 years.
Objective To examine the relation between the protein:carbohydrate (P/C) ratio and added sugar intake in pregnancy and gestational weight gain (GWG). Design A prebirth cohort including 103 119 pregnancies enrolled between 1996 and 2003. Setting All women in Denmark were eligible to participate if they spoke Danish and were planning to carry to term.The pregnant women were recruited and enrolled during their first antenatal visit (6–10 weeks of gestation). Participants Participants included women with live-born singletons and complete data on dietary intake and GWG, leaving 46 262 women for the analysis. Exposure Macronutrient intake was quantified using a validated food frequency questionnaire administered in the 25th week of gestation. The P/C ratio and added sugar intake were examined in quintiles. Primary outcome measures GWG was based on self-reported weight in gestational weeks 12 and 30 and defined as gain in g/week. We used multivariable linear regression, including adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, to calculate relative change in GWG and 95% CI. Results Average GWG was 471(224) g/week. The adjusted weight gain was 16 g/week lower (95% CI 9 to 22, p for trend 20%E vs <12%E from protein was 36 g/week lower (95% CI 20 to 53, p for trend <0.0001; ∼8% average reduction). A high P/C ratio was inversely related to intake of added sugars. Added sugar consumption was strongly associated with GWG (Q5 vs Q1: 34, 95% CI 28 to 40 g/week, p for trend <0.0001). Conclusions A high P/C ratio was associated with reduced GWG. This association appeared to be partly driven by a decrease in intake of added sugar. These results are consistent with randomised trials in non-pregnant participants. A dietary intervention targeting an increased P/C ratio with emphasis on reducing added sugar can contribute to reducing excessive GWG.
Maternal fish intake during pregnancy may influence the risk of child asthma and allergic rhinitis, yet evidence is conflicting on its association with these outcomes. We examined the associations of maternal fish intake during pregnancy with child asthma and allergic rhinitis. Mothers in the Danish National Birth Cohort (n 28 936) reported their fish intake at 12 and 30 weeks of gestation. Using multivariate logistic regression, we examined the associations of fish intake with child wheeze, asthma and rhinitis assessed at several time points: ever wheeze, recurrent wheeze (>3 episodes), ever asthma and allergic rhinitis, and current asthma, assessed at 18 months (n approximately 22 000) and 7 years (n approximately 17 000) using self-report and registry data on hospitalisations and prescribed medications. Compared with consistently high fish intake during pregnancy (fish as a sandwich or hot meal ≥ 2–3 times/week), never eating fish was associated with a higher risk of child asthma diagnosis at 18 months (OR 1·30, 95 % CI 1·05, 1·63, P= 0·02), and ever asthma by hospitalisation (OR 1·46, 95 % CI 0·99, 2·13, P= 0·05) and medication prescription (OR 1·37, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·71, P= 0·01). A dose–response was present for asthma at 18 months only (P for trend = 0·001). We found no associations with wheeze or recurrent wheeze at 18 months or with allergic rhinitis. The results suggest that high (v. no) maternal fish intake during pregnancy is protective against both early and ever asthma in 7-year-old children.
Introduction Healthcare systems are looking to reduce their carbon impact. Short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) overuse (≥ 3 canisters/year) is common in asthma and linked to poor outcomes; however, its environmental impact remains unknown. As part of the CARBON programme, this study retrospectively quantified the carbon footprint of SABA and controller inhalers across all respiratory indications and SABA overuse in asthma in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), upper-middle-income countries and high-income countries across Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. Methods Two data sources were utilised to evaluate the carbon contribution of inhalers to respiratory care. To quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with total inhaler use across all respiratory indications, inhaler sales data were obtained from IQVIA MIDAS® (Q4/2018–Q3/2019) and compared by dose to prevent confounding from differences in canister actuation counts. GHG emissions associated with SABA overuse in asthma were evaluated using prescription and self-reported over-the-counter purchase data from the SABA use IN Asthma (SABINA) III study (2019–2020). Inhaler-related GHG emissions were quantified using published data and product life cycle assessments. Results SABA accounted for > 50% of total inhaler use and inhaler-related emissions in most countries analysed. The total SABA-related emissions were estimated at 2.7 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents, accounting for 70% of total inhaler-related emissions. Among the countries, regions and economies analysed, per capita SABA use and associated emissions were higher in Australia, the Middle East and high-income countries. Most SABA prescriptions for asthma (> 90%) were given to patients already overusing SABA. Conclusions Globally, SABA use/overuse is widespread and is the greatest contributor to the carbon footprint of respiratory treatment, regardless of the economic status of countries. Implementing evidence-based treatment recommendations, personalising treatment and reducing healthcare inequities, especially in LMICs, may improve disease control and patient outcomes, thereby reducing SABA overuse and associated carbon emissions beyond SABA use alone.