Maternal antioxidant intake during pregnancy and the development of cows' milk allergy in the offspring

Cows' milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in young children, and it is often the first manifestation of atopic diseases. Accordingly, very early environmental factors, such as maternal diet during pregnancy, may play a role in the development of CMA, but the evidence is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal intake of antioxidant nutrients during pregnancy and the subsequent development of CMA in the offspring in a prospective, population-based birth cohort within the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study. Maternal dietary information during pregnancy was collected with a detailed, validated FFQ. The maternal dietary information and the information on putative confounding factors were available for 4403 children. Information on diagnosed CMA (n 448) was obtained from a medical registry and queried from the parents up to child's age of 3 years. The Finnish food composition database was used to calculate the average daily intake of nutrients. Logistic regression was applied for statistical analyses, and the nutrient intakes were adjusted for energy intake. OR are presented per 1 sd increment of the particular nutrient intake. Maternal total and dietary intake of β-carotene was associated with an increased risk of CMA in the offspring when adjusted for the putative confounding factors (total OR 1·10, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·20; dietary OR 1·10; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·19). Using dietary supplements containing antioxidants in addition to a balanced diet may not confer any additional benefits

Dietary fatty acid intake in childhood and the risk of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes: the DIPP birth cohort study

Purpose The aim was to study the associations between dietary intake of fatty acids in childhood and the risk of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes (T1D).Methods The prospective Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) Study included children with genetic susceptibility to T1D born between 1996 and 2004. Participants were followed up every 3 to 12 months up to 6 years for diet, islet autoantibodies, and T1D. Dietary intake of several fatty acids at the age of 3 months to 6 years was assessed 1-8 times per participant with a 3-day food record. Joint models adjusted for energy intake, sex, HLA genotype and familial diabetes were used to investigate the associations of longitudinal intake of fatty acids and the development of islet autoimmunity and T1D.Results During the 6-year follow-up, 247 (4.4%) children of 5626 developed islet autoimmunity and 94 (1.7%) children of 5674 developed T1D. Higher intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.47, 0.82), arachidonic acid (0.69; 0.50, 0.94), total n-3 fatty acids (0.64; 0.48, 0.84), and long-chain n-3 fatty acids (0.14; 0.04, 0.43), was associated with a decreased risk of islet autoimmunity with and without energy adjustment. Higher intake of total fat (0.73; 0.53, 0.98), and saturated fatty acids (0.55; 0.33, 0.90) was associated with a decreased risk of T1D only when energy adjusted.Conclusion Intake of several fatty acids was associated with a decreased risk of islet autoimmunity or T1D among high-risk children. Our findings support the idea that dietary factors, including n-3 fatty acids, may play a role in the disease process of T1D.</p

Are serum α;- and β;-carotene concentrations associated with the development of advanced beta-cell autoimmunity in children with increased genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes?

AIM: Reactive oxygen intermediates have been implicated in mediating the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells and antioxidant nutrients thought to protect against such a process. This study aimed to assess the associations between serum α- and β-carotene concentrations, and the risk of advanced beta-cell autoimmunity, in children with HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes. METHODS: This case-control study, comprising 108 case children with advanced beta-cell autoimmunity and 216 matched control children, was nested within the nutrition study of the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) birth cohort. Serum α- and β-carotene samples were collected each year from the age of 1 to 6 years. For each case-control group, serum samples were analyzed up to the time of seroconversion in the case children. Associations were studied using a conditional logistic-regression model. RESULTS: Neither serum α- nor β-carotene concentration was significantly associated with the risk of advanced beta-cell autoimmunity. There was marginal evidence (P=0.049) of an inverse association between serum β-carotene concentration and the risk of developing advanced beta-cell autoimmunity at a time closest to seroconversion after adjusting for parental education, maternal age, duration of gestation, diabetes in first-degree relatives, number of earlier deliveries and maternal smoking during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The present study data provided no clear evidence to support an association between serum α- or β-carotene concentration and advanced beta-cell autoimmunity