Relationship between the combination of polyunsaturated fatty acids intake and psychological distress during pregnancy: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

No studies have examined the association of the combination of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs intake with psychological distress during pregnancy. To examine these associations, we divided Japanese pregnant women into 25 groups based on combining quintiles of n-3 PUFAs intake and quintiles of n-6 PUFAs intake. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the risk of psychological distress during pregnancy (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale ≥ 5 or 13). Compared to the third quintile of both n-3 PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs intake, the groups with unbalanced intake, high intake of both, and low intake of both were associated with a higher risk of both Kessler Psychological Distress Scale ≥ 5 and 13 in early and mid-pregnancy. Further research is needed to identify the precise combination of n-3 PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs intake associated with the lowest psychological distress during pregnancy.

Earlier BMI rebound and lower pre-rebound BMI as risk of obesity among Japanese preschool children.

OBJECTIVES: Longitudinal growth data of children were analyzed to clarify the relationship between the timing of body mass index (BMI) rebound and obesity risk in later ages. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Of 54 558 children born between April 2004 and March 2005 and longitudinally measured in April and October every year in the preschool period, 15 255 children were analyzed wherein no longitudinal measurement is missing after 1 year of age. BMI rebound age was determined as the age with smallest BMI value across longitudinal individual data after 1 year of age. Rebound age was compared between overweight and non-overweight groups. The subjects were divided into groups based on the timing of rebound. The sex- and age-adjusted mean of the BMI, height and weight s.d. scores for age group, along with 6 months weight and height gain, were compared among groups using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Among those who were overweight at 66-71 months of age, BMI rebound age obtained at approximately 3 years of age was compared with the non-overweight group, whose BMI rebound age was utmost 66 months or later (P<0.001). The comparison among BMI age group showed that earlier BMI rebound results in larger BMI (P<0.001) and larger weight and height gain after the rebound (P<0.001). Among the group with BMI rebound earlier than 30 months of age, low BMI was observed (P<0.001). Slight elevation of height and weight gain was observed before the BMI rebound among groups with rebound age earlier than 60 months of age (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Earlier BMI rebound timing with pre-rebound low BMI leads to greater childhood obesity risk; hence, early detection and prevention is necessary for such cases.

Longitudinal changes in body mass index of children affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

BACKGROUND: The evacuation and disruption in housing caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and following nuclear radiation may have influenced child health in many respects. However, studies regarding longitudinal childhood growth are limited. Therefore, in this study we aimed to explore the influence of the earthquake on longitudinal changes in body mass index in preschool children. METHODS: Participants were children from nursery schools who cooperated with the study in the Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. The exposed group consisted of children who experienced the earthquake during their preschool-age period (4-5 years old). The historical control group included children who were born 2 years earlier than the exposed children in the same prefectures. Trajectories regarding body mass index and prevalence of overweight/obesity were compared between the two groups using multilevel analysis. Differences in the changes in BMI between before and after the earthquake, and proportion of overweight/obesity was compared between the two groups. We also conducted subgroup analysis by defining children with specific personal disaster experiences within the exposed group. RESULTS: A total of 9722 children were included in the study. Children in the exposed group had higher body mass indices and a higher proportion of overweight after the earthquake than the control group. These differences were more obvious when confined to exposed children with specific personal disaster experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Children's growth and development-related health issues such as increased BMI after natural disasters should evoke great attention.

PP083. Clinic and out-of-clinic blood pressure changes during pregnancy by parity: Boshi study.

INTRODUCTION: Nulliparity is believed to be one of the risk factors for hypertension during pregnancy. However, the relationship between parity and out-of-clinic blood pressure during pregnancy is still unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinic blood pressure and blood pressure measured at home during pregnancy among nulliparous and multiparous women. METHODS: This study was a prospective cohort study. We examined blood pressure measured in the clinic and at home among 530 normotensive pregnant women who received antenatal care at a maternity hospital in Japan. Clinic blood pressures were obtained by duplicate measurements at each antenatal care visit. The participants were also required to measure their own blood pressures every morning at home while they were pregnant. A linear mixed model was used for analysis of the blood pressure course throughout pregnancy [1]. The SAS package (version 9.2) was used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: A total of 315 nulliparous and 215 multiparous women were entered into this study (mean ages 30.1±4.6years and 33.0±4.1years, respectively). Clinic blood pressure during pregnancy among nulliparous women was significantly higher than that among multiparous women (P=0.02/P<0.0001 for systolic/diastolic blood pressure), whereas there were no significant differences in blood pressure measured at home during pregnancy between them (P=0.42/P=0.22 for systolic/diastolic blood pressure). CONCLUSION: Out-of-clinic blood pressure levels during pregnancy have been shown not to differ between nulliparous and multiparous women, while clinic blood pressure during pregnancy among nulliparous women is higher than that among multiparous women.