Prenatal Intervention with Partial Meal Replacement Improves Micronutrient Intake of Pregnant Women with Obesity

Relationship Between Markers of Chronic Inflammation and Copper Nutritional Status in Obese Women

Adipose tissue dysfunction causes the development of metabolic complications, such as low-grade chronic inflammation, which may to alter copper homeostasis in obese individuals. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between markers of chronic inflammation and copper nutritional status in obese women. Cross-sectional study involved women aged 20-50 years, divided into two groups: case (BMI > 35 kg/m²) and control (18.5 > BMI > 24.9 kg/m²). Plasma and erythrocyte copper concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) method. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme in the erythrocytes was determined with an automatic biochemical analyzer. Serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-10, and IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined by using flow cytometer. Serum IL-6 concentrations were 105% higher in the case group compared to eutrophic women. Plasma copper concentrations were 20.5% higher, and erythrocyte copper concentrations were 23.5% lower in patients with obesity. In addition, erythrocyte SOD activity was 20% lower in obese participants when compared to eutrophic women. Our study identified significant negative correlation between the cytokines TNF-α and IL-10 and the SOD activity in the case group, suggesting a possible influence of chronic inflammation on copper distribution in obese individuals.

Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and Lactation and Child Food Preferences, Dietary Patterns, and Weight Outcomes: a Review of Recent Research

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Efforts to promote children's preferences for healthy foods hold much potential for improving diet quality and preventing obesity. The purpose of this review was to summarize recent evidence for associations between maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation and child food preferences, dietary patterns, and weight outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research illustrates greater maternal vegetable intakes during pregnancy and lactation predict greater child preferences for and intakes of vegetables. Recent randomized clinical trials to improve maternal weight outcomes during the perinatal period via behavioral lifestyle interventions that included dietary components have yielded mixed findings for effects on child weight outcomes. There is strong evidence that maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation shapes flavor preferences during infancy; more research is needed to understand factors that facilitate versus hinder the translation of these preferences to later dietary patterns and weight outcomes.