Predictors of maternal dietary quality and dietary inflammation during pregnancy: An individual participant data meta-analysis of seven European cohorts from the ALPHABET consortium

International audienceBackgroundDietary guidelines available to pregnant women are made to improve maternal health and fetal development. But their adequacy to sustain offspring neurodevelopment has remained understudied.ObjectivesWe assessed the association between compliance with nutritional guidelines during pregnancy and neurodevelopment in preschool children.MethodsThe analyses were based on data for 6780 to 11,278 children from the Étude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance (ELFE) study, a nationwide birth cohort. Maternal diet during the last 3 mo of pregnancy was evaluated at delivery by using a validated 125-item FFQ. From this FFQ, food group consumption, a diet quality score (adapted National Health and Nutrition Program Guideline Score), and a nutrient intake score (Probability of Adequate Nutrient intake based Diet quality index) were calculated and dietary patterns were derived by principal component analysis. Child neurodevelopment was reported by parents at 1 and 3.5 y with the Child Development Inventory (CDI-1, CDI-3.5) and at 2 y with the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-2), and assessed by a trained investigator at 3.5 y with the Picture Similarities test (British Ability Scales, PS-3.5). Associations between maternal diet and child neurodevelopment were assessed by multivariable linear regression models on standardized variables.ResultsHigher nutrient intake score was associated with higher neurodevelopmental scores from 1 to 3.5 y (β = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.06 for CDI-1; β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.05 for MB-2; and β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.05 for CDI-3.5). Higher fruit and vegetables or fish intake and lower pork-meat products intake were related to higher CDI-3.5 scores (β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.05 for fruit and vegetables; β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.05 for fish; and β = −0.02; 95% CI: −0.04, 0.00 for pork-meat products). A higher score on the processed food pattern was associated with poorer neurodevelopmental score at 1 y (β = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.06, −0.03).ConclusionsHigher diet quality during pregnancy was associated with higher parent-reported neurodevelopmental scores in early childhood. The negative association of pork-meat products consumption with early neurodevelopmental scores needs to be further confirmed