Adherence to a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern during pregnancy in relation to gestational weight gain: the Mutaba’ah study

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) is associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We examined associations between the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) index and its components with gestational weight gain (GWG) and EGWG among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: The analysis involved 576 pregnant women from the dietary subcohort of the Mutaba’ah Study conducted from 2019 to 2022. A self-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was completed during pregnancy, and aMED index score was calculated. Body weights throughout pregnancy and height were obtained from medical records. GWG was calculated as the difference in weight between the last (gestational week ≥37) and the first (gestational week ≤14) recorded weight. EGWG was defined, according to the Institute of Medicine guidelines, based on the first trimester body mass index. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between aMED and its components with GWG and EGWG. Results: In total, 29% of the pregnant women had EGWG. No significant associations between aMED and GWG or EGWG were found. GWG was inversely associated with the intake ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (β= −0.84, 95% CI: −1.51, −0.17) and positively associated with the intake of fruit (β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.07). The odds of EGWG were inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.99, per 25 g/d) and positively associated with the intake of fruit (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.03, per 25 g/d). Conclusions: Increasing intake of vegetables and consuming high-quality fat may promote healthy GWG. Further investigations are needed to clarify the role of fruit intake in relation to GWG.