Pregnancy Diets Rich in Inflammatory Foods May Increase Child's Risk of Type 1 Diabetes

Recent Danish research has highlighted a potential link between maternal dietary habits during pregnancy and the risk of offspring developing type 1 diabetes. The study suggests that consuming a diet high in foods that promote low-grade systemic inflammation might elevate this risk. The researchers analyzed data from over 67,700 mother-child pairs in the Danish National Birth Cohort, focusing on the inflammatory potential of maternal diets assessed during pregnancy.

They used the inflammatory dietary index (EDII) score, derived from food frequency questionnaires completed around the 25th week of pregnancy, which evaluated typical food consumption across 38 food groups. Foods known for their inflammatory properties—such as processed and red meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, refined grains like white bread and pasta, deep-fried items, foods high in added sugars, and trans fats—were associated with higher EDII scores.

Findings revealed that for each standard deviation increase in dietary inflammatory potential, there was a 16% higher risk of the child developing type 1 diabetes, which was diagnosed in nearly 0.5% of the children during an average follow-up of 17 years, with an average diagnosis age of 10.

The study also found that higher EDII scores correlated with maternal factors like younger age, smoking, lower alcohol intake, shorter breastfeeding duration, higher body mass index, and lower socioeconomic status. Conversely, diets rich in alliums, tomatoes, whole grains, coffee, green leafy vegetables, fruits, dark fish, and tea were associated with lower inflammatory scores.

Other factors influencing risk included maternal gluten intake and smoking during pregnancy. A 10g increase in gluten consumption was linked to a 36% higher risk of the child's developing type 1 diabetes.

While the study underscores that this is observational and cannot establish causality, it emphasizes the importance of maternal diet during pregnancy. The researchers suggest that mid-pregnancy may be a critical window during which maternal lifestyle and dietary choices impact the immune development of the fetus and later health outcomes.

They propose that diet modifications avoiding highly inflammatory foods and considering other factors like gluten intake and smoking could potentially reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes in children. More research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms involved, but this study adds to the growing evidence that early-life environmental and maternal factors play a crucial role in autoimmune disease development.