Excess Weight, Dietary Habits and Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Status in Pregnancy

The aim of the study is to investigate excess weight prevalence, related dietary habits, physical activity, and fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D status in pregnant women in Latvia. The main tasks are to investigate excess weight prevalence before pregnancy and gestational weight gain; to investigate dietary patterns, physical activity, omega-3 and D vitamin intake and blood level in pregnant women and to evaluate association between excess weight, dietary patterns, physical activity and omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D statuses during pregnancy. A cross-sectional study between July 2020 and January 2023. The target group were pregnant women and women until 7th day post-partum, and the representative sample was formed by stratified sampling (stratified according to region and level of urbanization, Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB),2019). Exclusion criteria were: age less than 18 years; multiple pregnancies; place of residence outside Latvia during pregnancy; history of or present health disorders — diabetes, celiac disease, short bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and history of eating disorders. Informed consent was signed by respondents before enrolment. Respondents will be given a unique code to provide their anonymity. Data was collected from medical documentation and by direct face-to-face interviews in maternity departments in hospitals and in outpatient clinics in various regions of Latvia. The questionnaire consisted of the following parts: demographic data, anthropometric data, self-assessment of nutritional habits, daily physical activities and emotional well-being(n=837)and data from medical documentation(“mothers pasport”): anthropometric data, blood tests etc. Additional tests were done for assessing level of vitamin D, parathormone (PTH) and fatty acids, including omega 3 fatty acids. Blood test were collected from the antecubital vein by specialist of accredited laboratory Twenty tree fatty acids have been determined in erythrocyte phospholipids by GC-FID method. Vitamin D (25 hydroxyvitamin D: 25 (OH) D) in serum ((n=816) and PTH has been determined by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) method, Alinity System (Abbott) method ( with reference limits for adults (1.48 - 7.63 pmol/L)). Twenty tree fatty acids have been determined in erythrocyte phospholipids by gas chromatography GC-FID method. at the accredited laboratory "BIOR Dietary data obtained using FFQ and food diary were sent to the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment (BIOR) for processing. The food frequency questionnaire (n=856) about the participants' diet during the last six months (frequency and quantity of 211 food products) was adapted from the questionnaire of insturute "BIOR" for obtaining nutritional data on the population of Latvia. Pregnant women also filling 7-day food diary (n=125). Respondents was received written and oral instructions about how correctly to fill food diary. Food scales were used for estimation of portion size.