ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze alpha-linolenic fatty acid intake in two cohorts of pregnant women, and to identify factors associated with alpha-linolenic acid intake. Methods: This is a cohort study involving pregnant women with low obstetric risk (N=353) in public health system from a municipality of São Paulo state, Brazil. In each trimester, two 24-hour food recalls were collected. Descriptive analyses of dietary lipid profiles were performed, followed by a multiple comparison test. According to the trimester of pregnancy, differences were assessed using the mean difference test. To evaluate the adequacy of linoleic fatty acid and alpha-linolenic acid intake, the adequate intake test was used. The association between alpha-linolenic acid intake adequacy and maternal characteristics was investigated using a binary logistic regression model. Results: Total lipids intake and the percentage contribution to dietary energy met recommended levels. One-third of the diets demonstrated a lower than daily recommended intake of alpha-linolenic acid. Overweight pregnant women were twice as likely to have inadequate alpha-linolenic acid intake. Pregnant women from a more disadvantaged socioeconomic situation had greater risks of inadequate intake. Conclusion: Over-intake of lipids is not problematic, but quality is an issue, with one third of the pregnant women and their fetuses exposed to adverse effects due to low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, indicating important nutritional vulnerability in this population.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze alpha-linolenic fatty acid intake in two cohorts of pregnant women, and to identify factors associated with alpha-linolenic acid intake. Methods: This is a cohort study involving pregnant women with low obstetric risk (N=353) in public health system from a municipality of São Paulo state, Brazil. In each trimester, two 24-hour food recalls were collected. Descriptive analyses of dietary lipid profiles were performed, followed by a multiple comparison test. According to the trimester of pregnancy, differences were assessed using the mean difference test. To evaluate the adequacy of linoleic fatty acid and alpha-linolenic acid intake, the adequate intake test was used. The association between alpha-linolenic acid intake adequacy and maternal characteristics was investigated using a binary logistic regression model. Results: Total lipids intake and the percentage contribution to dietary energy met recommended levels. One-third of the diets demonstrated a lower than daily recommended intake of alpha-linolenic acid. Overweight pregnant women were twice as likely to have inadequate alpha-linolenic acid intake. Pregnant women from a more disadvantaged socioeconomic situation had greater risks of inadequate intake. Conclusion: Over-intake of lipids is not problematic, but quality is an issue, with one third of the pregnant women and their fetuses exposed to adverse effects due to low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, indicating important nutritional vulnerability in this population.

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the intake of choline during pregnancy and associated factors. Methods Cohort study with 353 pregnant women recruited from the primary health care network in an inland city of the State of São Paulo. In-house interviews were conducted in each of the gestational trimesters. In each of these points in time, a 24-hour dietary recall was collected. Subsequently, a new dietary recall collection was performed by telephone in the same trimester on a non-consecutive day, differentiating weekday versus weekend/holiday. Dietary intake data were included in the Nutrition Data System for Research software, and the habitual food intake throughout pregnancy was determined, with intra-individual variation correction in the MSM software. The influence of socioeconomic, obstetric and lifestyle factors, and of the actual diet, on choline intake during pregnancy was assessed using linear regression models, that were developed with the Stata software version 14.2, at a significance level of 95%. Results Choline intake (281.1±68.6 milligrams) was below the recommended adequate intake, and only energy was positively associated with this micronutrient intake. Conclusion Choline intake in the population studied fell far short of current recommendations, and only higher energy intake was found as a factor associated with a higher intake.

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the intake of choline during pregnancy and associated factors. Methods Cohort study with 353 pregnant women recruited from the primary health care network in an inland city of the State of São Paulo. In-house interviews were conducted in each of the gestational trimesters. In each of these points in time, a 24-hour dietary recall was collected. Subsequently, a new dietary recall collection was performed by telephone in the same trimester on a non-consecutive day, differentiating weekday versus weekend/holiday. Dietary intake data were included in the Nutrition Data System for Research software, and the habitual food intake throughout pregnancy was determined, with intra-individual variation correction in the MSM software. The influence of socioeconomic, obstetric and lifestyle factors, and of the actual diet, on choline intake during pregnancy was assessed using linear regression models, that were developed with the Stata software version 14.2, at a significance level of 95%. Results Choline intake (281.1±68.6 milligrams) was below the recommended adequate intake, and only energy was positively associated with this micronutrient intake. Conclusion Choline intake in the population studied fell far short of current recommendations, and only higher energy intake was found as a factor associated with a higher intake.