In a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , a group of researchers validated the 17-item pregnancy-adapted Mediterranean diet score (preg-MEDAS) within the Improving Mothers for a better PrenAtal Care Trial BarCeloNa (IMPACT BCN) trial and analyzed its association with maternal dietary and cardiometabolic changes after three months of intervention. Study: Validation of a pregnancy-adapted Mediterranean diet Adherence Screener (preg-MEDAS): A validation study nested in the IMPACT BCN trial . Image Credit: monticello / Shutterstock Maternal diet is crucial for fetal development and can impact pregnancy complications, adverse outcomes, and long-term chronic diseases.
The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is globally recognized for its health benefits, including during pregnancy, positively influencing maternal and offspring health. In the IMPACT BCN trial , a pregnancy-adapted MedDiet significantly reduced the incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) newborns and other perinatal complications. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of the pregnancy-adapted MedDiet on maternal and fetal health outcomes.
The present study was conducted at BCNatal, Spain, involving 1,221 pregnant women at high risk for SGA newborns. At 19-23 weeks gestation, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a MedDiet intervention, a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, or usual care. Recruitment occurred from February 2017 to Octob.
