2025-07-10T12:00:03Z

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Maternal Diet Linked to Increased Risk of Type 1 Diabetes in Offspring

TOPLINE:
A recent study has highlighted a concerning correlation between maternal dietary inflammation during pregnancy and the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in their children. Each 1-unit increase in the mother's dietary inflammation score during the middle of pregnancy was associated with a 16% higher risk for the development of T1D in offspring during their first 18 years of life.

METHODOLOGY:
Conducted by researchers in Denmark, the study examined a substantial cohort of 67,701 mother-child pairs. This prospective study aimed to investigate whether a proinflammatory diet during pregnancy could elevate the risk of T1D in children. The dietary intake of the mothers was meticulously documented using a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire that included 360 items, administered during the 25th week of gestation.

The inflammatory potential of the maternal diet was quantified using the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index score. A higher score indicated a more proinflammatory diet, typically characterized by the consumption of red meats, low-fat dairy, pizza, margarine, processed snacks, and high-calorie beverages. Conversely, lower scores signified an anti-inflammatory diet, which included foods such as alliums, tomatoes, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, dark meat fish, and natural fruits. This dietary assessment was crucial to understanding how maternal nutrition could impact offspring health.

Following the initial data collection, the children were monitored for an average duration of 17.58 years. The diagnosis of T1D among these children was confirmed through linked national health registries, ensuring a rigorous validation process in tracking health outcomes.

TAKEAWAY:
Of the 67,701 mother-child pairs studied, only 0.42% of the children were diagnosed with T1D, with the median age at diagnosis being 10.2 years. Remarkably, researchers found that each increase of 1 unit in the maternal Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index score corresponded to a 16% rise in the risk for T1D in the offspring, with a hazard ratio of 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02-1.32). This association was consistent across both male and female children.

Interestingly, the study also uncovered that maternal smoking during pregnancy was linked to a decreased risk of T1D in offspring, with a hazard ratio of 0.47. However, a diet high in gluten was identified as a risk factor, with a hazard ratio of 1.36 for each 10 g/day increase in gluten intake.

IN PRACTICE:
The authors noted, “Collectively, these findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that pediatric type 1 diabetes may be influenced by prenatal or early postnatal modifiable factors.” They emphasized that mid-pregnancy may represent a critical period when the fetus is particularly susceptible to the influences of maternal lifestyle choices.

SOURCE:
The study was led by Rohina Noorzae at the Statens Serum Institut in København, Denmark, and was published online on July 1, 2025, in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

LIMITATIONS:
Despite its significant findings, the study acknowledges certain limitations, notably the possibility of unmeasured confounding factors. For instance, the inflammatory properties of the children’s own diets could not be accounted for, which may also influence diabetes risk.

DISCLOSURES:
The research was supported by the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and Lilly Programme. Additional funding was provided by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The authors declared no competing interests.

This article was generated using several editorial tools, including AI, and underwent review by human editors prior to publication.