A new study has identified a significant association between higher maternal bread consumption and increased risk of infant food allergies and eczema. The research, led by Rachelle A. Pretorius from the Telethon Kids Institute at the University of Western Australia, explored how a mother’s diet during late pregnancy influences her baby’s immune development.
The study, which used a comprehensive dietary analysis approach, builds on previous findings from 639 mother-infant pairs that revealed unexpected links between maternal intake of resistant starch and higher rates of eczema in infants. This new analysis sought to deepen the understanding of these connections.
“This multi-level nutritional analysis approach allows for a more thorough interpretation of the relationship between maternal diet during pregnancy and infant allergy outcomes,” Pretorius and her team noted.
Study Design
The research involved mothers from local antenatal clinics and classes between November 2011 and December 2016. The cohort of 639 mother-infant pairs, all of whom had been evaluated previously for links between maternal fiber consumption and infant allergies, included infants born at or after 36 weeks of gestation, with at least one immediate family member having a history of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, IgE-mediated food allergies, or atopic dermatitis.
To assess maternal dietary habits during late pregnancy (32–36 weeks gestation), the researchers used a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ). They analyzed dietary intake data to calculate Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores, using 23 of 45 potential food parameters to assess the inflammatory potential of the diets.
Foods classified as pro-inflammatory included total fat, energy, protein, cholesterol, carbohydrates, saturated fatty acids, and iron, while anti-inflammatory foods included total fiber, certain vitamins, minerals, and onions. Higher DII scores indicated more pro-inflammatory diets, while lower scores suggested more anti-inflammatory diets.
Findings
The study revealed several key findings:
Increased consumption of white bread was associated with a higher likelihood of infants developing IgE-mediated food allergies (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.14; 95% CI 1.02, 1.28; P = .02) and clinician-diagnosed eczema (aRR 1.16; 95% CI 1.08, 1.24; P < .001).
Higher intake of fiber-rich bread (aRR 1.14; 95% CI 1.04, 1.25; P = .01) and legumes (aRR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02, 1.21; P = .02) was linked to an increased risk of clinician-diagnosed eczema in infants.
Greater maternal intake of thiamine was associated with a higher risk of parent-reported eczema in infants (aRR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03, 1.12; P < .001).
The researchers concluded that future studies should expand on this multi-component dietary analysis approach by including a broader range of food groups, individual foods, and nutrient intakes, as well as considering antenatal vitamin and mineral supplementation. This expanded approach could provide deeper insights into dietary factors affecting allergic disease development in infants.
