Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Nutrients Intake of Pregnant Women in the South-East of Spain.

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is pivotal to maintain good health for the child and the mother. This study evaluates the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to assess nutrient intake during pregnancy in the GENEIDA (Genetics, Early life Environmental Exposures and Infant Development in Andalusia) prospective birth cohort study. In addition, the nutrient intake was estimated and then compared with European guidelines and other studies. Diet information was collected from 690 pregnant women using a FFQ administered at two periods of pregnancy (used for the reproducibility study) and 24-h dietary recall (for the validity study). Statistical approaches included Spearman's correlation coefficient and percentage agreement, classifying women into the same or adjacent quintiles to assess reproducibility, and limits of agreement (LoA) to evaluate validity. In the study of reproducibility, significant correlations for nutrients adjusted for total energy had an average of 0.417. Moreover, the percentage of subjects classified in the same quintile for nutrient intakes were above 66%. In the validation study, the significant correlation for nutrients adjusted for total energy had an average of 0.272. Nevertheless, the percentage of results in the LoA was above 94%. Our results were similar to other studies suggesting that the FFQ used is a valid tool of collect dietary intakes for South-East Spanish pregnant women.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) Gene Polymorphism and Infant's Anthropometry at Birth.

Identification of causal factors that influence fetal growth and anthropometry at birth is of great importance as they provide information about increased risk of disease throughout life. The association between maternal genetic polymorphism MTHFR(677)C>T and anthropometry at birth has been widely studied because of its key role in the one-carbon cycle. MTHFR(677) CT and TT genotypes have been associated with a greater risk of low birth weight, especially in case of deficient intake of folic acid during pregnancy. This study aimed to analyze the association between the maternal MTHFR(677)C>T genetic polymorphism and anthropometry at birth in a population with adequate folate consumption. We included 694 mother-newborn pairs from a prospective population-based birth cohort in Spain, in the Genetics, Early life enviroNmental Exposures and Infant Development in Andalusia (GENEIDA) project. Women were genotyped for MTHFR(677)C>T SNP by Q-PCR using TaqMan© probes. Relevant maternal and newborn information was obtained from structured questionnaires and medical records. Results showed that maternal MTHFR(677)C>T genotype was associated with newborn anthropometry. Genotypes CT or CT/TT showed statistically significant associations with increased or decreased risk of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) or small-for-gestational-age (SGA) based on weight and height, depending on the newborn's sex, as well as with SGA in premature neonates. The relationships between this maternal genotype and anthropometry at birth remained despite an adequate maternal folate intake.

Childhood chromium exposure and neuropsychological development in children living in two polluted areas in southern Spain.

This study aimed to assess the association between exposure to chromium and neuropsychological development among children. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 393 children aged 6-11 years old randomly selected from State-funded schools in two provinces in Southern Spain (Almeria and Huelva), in 2010 and 2012. Chromium levels in urine and hair samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with an octopole reaction system. Neuropsychological development was evaluated using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and three computerized tests from the Behavioural Assessment and Research System (BARS): Reaction Time Test (RTT), Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and Selective Attention Test (SAT). Multivariable linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders, including heavy metals, were applied to examine the association between chromium levels and neuropsychological outcomes. A 10-fold increase in urine chromium levels was associated with a decrease of 5.99 points on the WISC-IV Full-Scale IQ (95% CI: 11.98 to -0.02). Likewise, a 10-fold increase in urine chromium levels in boys was associated with a decrease of 0.03 points in the percentage of omissions (95% CI: 0.0 to 0.05) in the SAT, with an increase of 68.35 points in latency (95% CI: 6.60 to 130.12) in the RTT, and with an increase in the number of trials with latencies > 1000 ms (ß = 37.92; 95% CI: 2.73 to 73.12) in the RTT. An inverse significant association was detected between chromium levels in hair and latency in the SAT in boys (ß = -50.53; 95% CI: 86.86 to -14.22) and girls (ß = -55.95; 95% CI: 78.93 to -32.97). Excluding trials with latencies >1000 ms in the RTT increased latency scores by 29.36 points in boys (95% CI: 0.17 to 58.57), and 39.91 points in girls (95% CI: 21.25 to 58.59). This study is the first to show the detrimental effects of postnatal chromium exposure on neuropsychological development in school-aged children.