King's College London

TY - JOUR

T1 - Is There an Association Between Diet, Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in the Perinatal Period? An Analysis of the UPBEAT Cohort of Obese Pregnant Women

AU - Wilson, Claire A.

AU - Seed, Paul

AU - Flynn, Angela C

AU - Howard, Louise M.

AU - Molyneaux, Emma

AU - Sigurdardottir, Julie

AU - Poston, Lucilla

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - IntroductionDepression is a common morbidity of the perinatal period (during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum). There is evidence for an association between diet and physical activity, and depression in the non-pregnant population but this association has been relatively less explored during the perinatal period; particularly poorly understood is the relationship between specific dietary components and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the association between glycaemic load, saturated fat intake and physical activity and depressive symptoms in a high-risk population of obese pregnant women.MethodsIn a cohort of 1522 women participating in the UPBEAT trial, physical activity, glycaemic load and saturated fat intake were used as predictors of depressive symptoms measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Measures taken in early pregnancy were used in linear and logistic regression models. Repeated measures at three points during pregnancy and at six months postpartum were utilised in multilevel mixed effects models. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data.ResultsIncreased glycaemic load was associated with small increases in levels of depressive symptoms across the perinatal period (adjusted beta coefficient 0.01; 95% CI 0.01,0.02). There was no evidence for an association between reduced physical activity and increased saturated fat intake and increased levels of depressive symptoms.ConclusionsGlycaemic load may be a useful focus for interventions aiming to optimise the mental health of obese women in the perinatal period.

AB - IntroductionDepression is a common morbidity of the perinatal period (during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum). There is evidence for an association between diet and physical activity, and depression in the non-pregnant population but this association has been relatively less explored during the perinatal period; particularly poorly understood is the relationship between specific dietary components and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the association between glycaemic load, saturated fat intake and physical activity and depressive symptoms in a high-risk population of obese pregnant women.MethodsIn a cohort of 1522 women participating in the UPBEAT trial, physical activity, glycaemic load and saturated fat intake were used as predictors of depressive symptoms measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Measures taken in early pregnancy were used in linear and logistic regression models. Repeated measures at three points during pregnancy and at six months postpartum were utilised in multilevel mixed effects models. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data.ResultsIncreased glycaemic load was associated with small increases in levels of depressive symptoms across the perinatal period (adjusted beta coefficient 0.01; 95% CI 0.01,0.02). There was no evidence for an association between reduced physical activity and increased saturated fat intake and increased levels of depressive symptoms.ConclusionsGlycaemic load may be a useful focus for interventions aiming to optimise the mental health of obese women in the perinatal period.

KW - Glycaemic load

KW - Perinatal depression

KW - Physical activity

KW - Saturated fat

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85084236181&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10995-020-02933-3

DO - 10.1007/s10995-020-02933-3

M3 - Article

VL - 24

SP - 1482

EP - 1493

JO - MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL

JF - MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL

SN - 1092-7875

IS - 12

ER -