Association between of vitamin B12 status during pregnancy and probable postpartum depression: the ECLIPSES study.

BACKGROUND: B12 vitamin is essential for the functioning of the nervous system and the production of mood-related neurotransmitters. However, information on its association with postpartum depression (PPD) is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of serum vitamin B12 levels during pregnancy on PPD, in healthy pregnant women from the Mediterranean region of Catalonia, Spain. METHOD: This longitudinal study included a subsample of women at 54 days (7.7 weeks) postpartum (n = 336), who participated in the ECLIPSES Study conducted out in Tarragona, Spain. Maternal concentrations of vitamin B12 were determined in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and sociodemographic, nutritional, and psychological data were collected. PPD was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). RESULTS: The prevalence of probable PPD was 21%. After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, biochemical parameters, and postpartum characteristics the regression model showed a negative association between EPDS scores and the highest quartile of serum vitamin B12 (first quartile (reference) vs. fourth quartile), (ß = -1.267, 95% CI = -2.461, -0.073, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Maintaining a normal-high level of vitamin B12 during early pregnancy can contributes to preventing PPD.

Prenatal vitamin B12 status and cognitive functioning in children at 4 years of age: The ECLIPSES Study.

Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with disturbed cognitive functioning in offspring at different ages during childhood. However, this association has not been explored in pre-school-age children. The objective of this study was to examine the association between maternal vitamin B12 levels at the beginning and end of pregnancy and cognitive functioning in their children at 4 years of age. This longitudinal prospective study included a subsample of pregnant women and their children aged 4 years (n = 249) who participated in the ECLIPSES Study conducted in the province of Tarragona, Spain, from 2013 to 2017. Maternal vitamin B12 concentrations were determined in the first and third trimesters, and sociodemographic, nutritional and psychological data were collected. The children's cognitive functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) and subtests of the Neuropsychological Assessment of Development (NEPSY-II). The multivariable models showed a significant relationship between vitamin B12 and the working memory index in the first trimester of the pregnancy but not in the third trimester. Children of mothers in the second vitamin B12 level tertile (314-413 pg/mL) (ß = 6.468, 95% confidence interval [CI]: = 2.054, 10.882, p = 0.004) and third vitamin B12 level tertile (≥414 pg/mL) (ß = 4.703, 95% CI: = 0.292, 9.114, p = 0.037) scored higher in the working memory index of the WPPSI-IV than the children of mothers with vitamin B12 levels in the first tertile (<314 pg/mL). Maintaining an adequate level of maternal vitamin B12 during early pregnancy contributes to improved performance in childhood working memory at 4 years of age.

Maternal Vitamin B12 Status during Pregnancy and Early Infant Neurodevelopment: The ECLIPSES Study.

In this prospective cohort study of 434 mother-infant pairs from the ECLIPSES study, we examine the association between maternal vitamin B12 status at the beginning and end of pregnancy and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants 40 days after birth in a pregnant population from a Mediterranean region of northern Spain. Maternal vitamin B12 concentrations were determined in the first and third trimesters, and sociodemographic, nutritional, and psychological data were collected. At 40 days postpartum, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III, cognitive, language, and motor skills) were administered to the infants and several obstetrical data were recorded. In the multivariable models, medium maternal first-trimester vitamin B12 levels (312 to 408 pg/mL, tertile 2) were associated with better neonatal performance in the motor, gross motor, language, and cognitive skills with respect to tertile 1 (<312 pg/mL). The probability of obtaining a neonatal motor, gross motor, and receptive language score >75th percentile was significantly higher also in the tertile 2 group. In summary, good maternal vitamin B12 status in the early stage of pregnancy appears to be associated with better infant motor, language, and cognitive performance at 40 days postpartum.

Ingesta alimentaria y composición corporal asociadas a síndrome metabólico en estudiantes universitarios / Dietary intake and body composition associated with metabolic syndrome in university students

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer la relación de la ingesta alimentaria (IA) y la composición corporal (CMC) con el síndrome metabólico (SM) entre estudiantes universitarios. Participaron 50 alumnos (56% mujeres) de entre 19 y 25 años de edad (M = 20.58, DE = 1.86), quienes completaron un cuestionario dirigido a evaluar IA, además se recabaron parámetros bioquímicos y de CMC. De acuerdo con el porcentaje de grasa corporal (PG), se identificó una alta ocurrencia de sobrepeso (22%) y obesidad (38%). Además, la grasa visceral incrementó conforme aumentó el PG. En ambos sexos existió un consumo bajo de hidratos de carbono y alto en lípidos, mayormente de origen animal, así como alto consumo de grasas saturadas, pero bajo de omegas 3 y 6. El SM fue identificado en 20% de la muestra, principalmente mujeres. El criterio de riesgo más frecuente fue los bajos niveles séricos de colesterol HDL, seguido de la obesidad abdominal; en tanto que la dislipidemia más frecuente fue la hipertrigliceridemia. En este estudio, aunque no se encontró relación directa entre IA y SM, si de éste con indicadores de CMC. Resulta inminente la necesidad de implementar estrategias que permitan a los estudiantes universitarios adquirir hábitos alimentarios y de actividad física saludables.

Abstract The objective of this study was to know the relationship between dietary intake (DI) and body composition (BC) with the metabolic syndrome (MS) among university students. A total of 50 students (56% female) among 19 and 25 years of age (M = 20.58, SD = 1.86), completed a questionnaire aimed at assessing DI, in addition biochemical and BC parameters were collected. According to the percentage of body fat (BF), a high prevalence of overweight (22%) and obesity (38%) was identified. In addition, visceral fat increased as the BF increased. In both sexes, there was a low consumption of carbohydrates and high in lipids, mostly of animal fat as well as high consumption of saturated fats, but low omegas 3 y 6. The MS was identified in 20% of the sample, mainly in women. The most frequently risk criteria were low levels of HDL cholesterol, followed by abdominal obesity; whereas the most frequent dyslipidemia was hypertriglyceridemia. In this study, although no direct relationship was found between DI and MS, it was found between MS and BC indicators. It is imminent the need to implement strategies that allow university students to acquire healthy eating and physical activity habits.