Search

Background Early life vitamin D intake has been linked to asthma risk in childhood, but the role of longitudinal vitamin D exposure has not been previously evaluated. We investigated the association between vitamin D intake during the first 4 years of life and asthma risk by age 5. Methods Within a Finnish population-based birth cohort, 182 incident asthma cases were matched to 728 controls on sex, genetic risk for type 1 diabetes, delivery hospital, and time of birth. Vitamin D intake was assessed by age-specific 3-day food records. Parents completed a validated version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire at 5 years. Results At 3 months, supplements were the main source of vitamin D intake; intake from foods increased from 3 months on, mainly from fortified milk products. Vitamin D intake at each specific age was associated with an increased risk of any asthma, atopic and non-atopic asthma, but only intake at 1 and 2 years was statistically significantly associated with asthma. Longitudinal vitamin D intake was associated with an increased risk of asthma (OR 1.24; 95%CI 1.00-1.53) Conclusions Increased vitamin D intake in childhood, particularly intake at 1 and 2 years of age, may increase risk of childhood asthma. This might reflect a true effect or residual confounding by lifestyle or environmental factors. Repeated assessment of vitamin D intake allowed evaluation of the longitudinal and age-dependent impact of vitamin D on the risk of asthma. Further longitudinal studies are required to confirm or question these findings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

To cite this article: Erkkola M, Nwaru BI, Kaila M, Kronberg-Kippila C, Ilonen J, Simell O, Veijola R, Knip M, Virtanen SM. Risk of asthma and allergic outcomes in the offspring in relation to maternal food consumption during pregnancy: A Finnish birth cohort study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 186–194. Abstract Background: Epidemiological and immunological studies suggest that maternal diet during pregnancy might affect the development of allergic diseases in the offspring. The authors set out to study the effect of maternal food consumption during pregnancy on the emergence of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)-based allergic outcomes: asthma, allergic rhinitis, and wheeze by the 5 yr of age. Methods: Data from 2441 children at 5 yr of age were analyzed within the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Nutrition Study, a population-based birth cohort study. Maternal diet was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: In multiple regression models adjusted for known confounders, low maternal consumption of leafy vegetables (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.98), malaceous fruits (aOR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.84), and chocolate (aOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.70) were positively associated with the risk of wheeze in children. High maternal consumption of fruit and berry juices was positively associated with the risk of allergic rhinitis (aOR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.90) in children. No associations were observed between maternal food consumption and asthma. Conclusions: Development of allergic diseases in preschool children may be influenced by intrauterine exposure to maternal diet.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acids (FA) modulate the immune system, and it has been proposed that they affect the incidence of IgE-mediated allergic diseases. We explored the association of maternal dietary FA composition during pregnancy with the risk of asthma in the offspring. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Nutrition Study. Maternal dietary intake during pregnancy (8th month) was assessed by a validated 181-item food frequency questionnaire. The occurrence of asthma was assessed at the age of 5 yr with a questionnaire modified from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Cox proportional hazards regression was used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: Low maternal intakes of ?-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) [lowest quarter vs. mid-half HR 1.67 (95% CI 1.12-2.48)] and total n-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [HR 1.66 (95% CI 1.11-2.48)] during pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of asthma in the offspring, while a low intake of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) [HR 0.52 (95% CI 0.32-0.84)] and high intake of total saturated fatty acids [highest quarter vs. mid-half HR 0.55 (95% CI 0.34-0.90)] and palmitic acid (16:0) [HR 0.51 (95% CI 0.31-0.83)] were associated with a decreased risk of asthma. The ratios of n-6 to n-3-PUFA and 18:2n-6 to 18:3n-3, and the maternal intake of oils, fish and fish products, showed no association with the risk of asthma. The associations found were independent of several perinatal and clinical confounders. CONCLUSION: Maternal intake of FA during pregnancy was associated with childhood asthma. Maternal ?-linolenic acid, total n-3 PUFA and palmitic acid intake may decrease, while arachidonic acid intake may increase the risk of asthma in the offspring.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of maternal dietary intake during lactation on allergic sensitization at the age of 5 in children carrying HLA-DQB1-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes. We analyzed data for 652 consecutively born children with complete information on maternal diet and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurements who are participating in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Nutrition and allergy study. Analysis was performed using logistic regression. In models that included the significant uncorrelated dietary variables, maternal intake of butters and saturated fatty acids was associated with increased risk, while margarine was associated with a decreased risk, of sensitization to wheat allergen in the offspring. Maternal intake of potatoes, milks, and margarine and low-fat spreads were associated with decreased risk of sensitization to birch allergen. On the other hand, intake of potatoes decreased the risk, while vitamin C and eggs increased the risk, of cat allergic sensitization. Maternal intake of butters and saturated fatty acids during lactation may increase the risk, while margarines may decrease the risk, of sensitization to wheat allergen in the offspring. Maternal intake of potatoes, milks, and margarines may decrease the risk of sensitization to birch allergen. On the other hand, intake of potatoes may decrease the risk, while vitamin C and eggs may increase the risk, of cat allergic sensitization. These effects may persist regardless of maternal or parental allergic status.

To examine the effect of maternal diet during pregnancy on allergic sensitization in the offspring by 5 yrs of age. The Finnish type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Nutrition Study. A population-based cohort study with 5-yr follow-up. A total of 931 children with human leukocyte antigen-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes for whom maternal pregnancy food frequency questionnaire data and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E measurement at 5 yrs were available. Increasing maternal consumption of citrus fruits [odds ratio (OR) = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-1.25] and total fruit (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.09-1.70) were positively associated with sensitization to inhalant allergens, after adjustment for potential confounders. Maternal intake of vitamin D (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.35-0.91) was inversely associated with sensitization to food allergens. Maternal consumption of citrus fruits during pregnancy may increase the risk to allergic sensitization in the offspring, whereas vitamin D intake may have a beneficial effect. Further studies are required to define more closely the putative effect of maternal intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids on development of allergic diseases in the offspring.

Background The consumption of foods rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been proposed to protect against childhood asthma. This study explores the association of food consumption (including cow's milk (CM)-free diet) in early life and the risk of atopic and non-atopic asthma. Methods Food intake of 182 children with asthma and 728 matched controls was measured using 3-day food records, within the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Nutrition Study cohort. The diagnoses of food allergies came both from the written questionnaire and from the registers of the Social Insurance Institution. Conditional logistic regression with generalized estimating equations framework was used in the analyses. Results The diagnosis of cow's milk allergy (CMA) led to multiple dietary restrictions still evident at 4 yr of age. Even after adjusting for CMA, higher consumption of CM products was inversely associated with the risk of atopic asthma and higher consumption of breast milk and oats inversely with the risk of non-atopic asthma. Early consumption of fish was associated with a decreased risk of all asthma. Conclusions Dietary intake in early life combined with atopy history has a clear impact on the risk of developing asthma. Our results indicate that CM restriction due to CMA significantly increases and mediates the association between food consumption and childhood asthma risk.