THE IMPACT OF DIET QUALITY ON MICROBIAL DIVERSITY THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY IN AN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COHORT IN HAWAI‘I

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2020

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AbstractBackground: The gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiome influences metabolism and modulates inflammation during pregnancy, influencing energy regulation, gestational weight gain, and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Manipulating the GIT microbiota has been an area of earnest research interest, with hopes that manipulating an aberrant microbial community may translate to improved pregnancy outcomes. While some dietary patterns have been associated with improved GIT microbial health, few studies have investigated the impact of comprehensive diet quality on this outcome. Our study aimed to associate Diet Quality as defined by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) with alpha diversity metrics longitudinally across pregnancy in healthy, low risk pregnant women. Methods: Forty-one women were recruited, from the 4 largest ethnic groups in Hawaii. Participants completed Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) during each trimester (12 weeks, 20 weeks and 34-36 weeks), to which HEI Diet Quality Score was assigned. Rectal swabs were collected concomitantly at each time point, from which DNA extraction and 16s rRNA sequencing were performed. Alpha and beta diversity profiles were assigned, and correlated in a linear fashion with HEI Score. Linear regression was also used to account for confounding demographic factors. Results: HEI score did not correlate with any alpha diversity metrics. Those with the highest HEI score had greater amounts of lactobacillaceae (not significant), and several species were associated with higher diet quality. Native Hawaiians had the highest HEI score compared to Filipina participants, and had higher amounts of Acidaminoaceae and lactobacillaceae, respectively. There were no differences observed with microbial diversity among the 4 ethnic groups. All alpha diversity indices decreased from the first to third trimester, as expected from published literature in other cohorts. Conclusion: Alpha diversity decreased throughout pregnancy in this cohort, commensurate with other studies. Hormonal changes of pregnancy had the largest influence in change over time of microbial composition in this cohort, greater than dietary intake, ethnicity, body mass index, or parity.

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Microbiology, Obstetrics, Nutrition, Diet Quality, Microbial Diversity, Pregnancy

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50 pages

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