Feeding a Mediterranean-like diet rich in plant proteins, fiber and healthy fats during pregnancy and lactation helps to improve the health of pregnant and nursing women as well as their babies. It is one of the main conclusions of two research projects coordinated by the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), a research centre of the University of Valencia Science Park (PCUV) and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), and the Food Safety and Nutrition Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (INSA-UB). Both papers, published in the journal eBiomedicine, describe how this type of feeding directly influences maternal immunity, improves fat metabolism, promotes physiological recovery after delivery and modulates the composition of the intestinal microbiota and its role in protecting the newborn against infections.
In the first study, researchers compared the effect of two different diets consumed by mothers during pregnancy and lactation. The first, similar to the Mediterranean diet, was characterised by a high content of fibre such as inulin (a vegetable fibre found in foods like garlic, artichokes or leeks), with a predominance of proteins of plant origin and enriched with fish oil. The second represented a nutritional pattern similar to that of the Western diet, with higher protein and animal fat content.
"The diet conditions the immunological quality of breast milk and modifies the composition of the microbiome, which has a key role in its protection against pathogens", M. Carmen Collado, researcher at IATA-CSIC and author of both papers
After the analysis of biological samples to evaluate the impact of each diet, the results showed that the first had beneficial effects on lipid metabolism (body processes to use fats), microbiota composition (the set of microorganisms that inhabit the intestine), and the immune response during pregnancy and lactation.
"Maintaining this dietary pattern during lactation also seems to effectively reverse the physiological changes associated with pregnancy, favoring the immune response and preventing fat accumulation," explains Francisco J. Pérez-Cano, author of the article and director of INSA-UB.
The second work, focused on the impact of this dietary pattern on the baby’s immune system, highlights the effect of the maternal diet in reducing the incidence and severity of infections during the first few months of life; among others, to its influence on the intestinal microbiota. The results indicate that these diets modulate the defensive components of breast milk, such as immunoglobulin A (IgA), and promote the development of neonatal microbiota, which helps strengthen the newborn’s defenses against possible infections.
"The diet conditions the immunological quality of breast milk and modifies the composition of the microbiome, which has a key role in its protection against pathogens," says M. Carmen Collado, researcher at IATA-CSIC and author of both papers.
"Understanding how the maternal diet influences the physiology of both mother and baby is fundamental, since its effects impact on the short- and long-term health of both," argues Professor María José Rodríguez Lagunas, Researcher at the Department of Biochemistry and Physiology of the University of Barcelona and author of both papers. "However, there is a notable lack of research that analyzes in depth the mechanisms involved, especially those that could promote the physiological recovery of the mother after childbirth," she adds.
There are many unknowns about the mechanisms by which maternal diet influences mother-child health, especially postpartum recovery. Understanding them will allow for more accurate nutrition guidelines and better recommendations based on scientific evidence
A balanced diet, along with a healthy lifestyle and proper daily habits, is critical to maintaining good health during pregnancy. Therefore, establishing nutritional guidelines at this stage as well as during breastfeeding and the first few weeks of a baby’s life is key to the well-being of both mother and newborn.
"There are many unknowns about the mechanisms by which maternal diet influences mother-child health, especially postpartum recovery. Understanding them will allow us to establish more accurate nutritional guidelines and improve recommendations based on scientific evidence," concludes the work team.
Both studies were possible thanks to the collaboration of two centres of excellence, recognized with the seals Severo Ochoa (IATA-CSIC) and María de Maeztu (INSA-UB), and reinforce the idea that maternal nutrition is a powerful tool for improving the present and future health of mothers and children.
Don’t miss the interview with María Carmen Collado (IATA) in our section of Europark
Source: Delegation CSIC Comunitat Valenciana