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Abstract
Background The global increase in food additives consumption over recent decades raises concerns about its potential impact on maternal and child health. The cohort study aims to evaluate the relationship between food additive intake and perinatal health outcomes in three economically diverse cities in China’s Greater Bay Area.
Aims This study seeks to assess the effects of food additives on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and newborn birth weight, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of dietary influences on perinatal health.
Methods The cohort Study is a prospective, population-based study that enrolled 2,171 pregnant women from Hong Kong, Foshan, and Kunming between 2019 and 2023. Participants completed 3 semi-quantitative food additive questionnaires during recruitment. The study focuses on the intake of nine specific food additives: carboxymethylcellulose, carrageenan, polysorbate-80, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, aluminosilicate, sulphites, and titanium dioxide. It then observed their association with GDM and large for gestational age (LGA) infants.
Results The study underscores the influence of pre-pregnancy BMI, lifestyle, and dietary habits on the intake of food additives and subsequent perinatal health outcomes. Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) had the highest consumption (36.7%, 2277.3 grams/year), followed by CRN (30.7%, 1667.8 grams/year) and P80 (23.4%, 1215.1 grams/year) (IDDF2024-ABS-0302 Figure 1 Past Dietary Habits and Food Additive Intake). Our cohort demonstrated a strong correlation between the incidence of GDM and LGA infants (odds ratio [OR]: 2.49 [95% CI: 1.56–3.98], p-value < 0.001). IDDF2024-ABS-0302 Table 1 Baseline characteristics in Hong Kong and Foshan and IDDF2024-ABS-0302 Figure 2 The association between food additives and GDM and LGA.
Baseline characteristics in Hong Kong and Foshan
Past Dietary Habits and Food Additive Intake.
The association between food additives and GDM and LGA.
Conclusions The Mother and Child Cohort Study provides evidence of the potential adverse effects of food additives on maternal and infant health, emphasizing the importance of healthy dietary practices. Further research employing precise assessment methods is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these associations and to develop targeted interventions.