Intake of antioxidant vitamins and trace elements during pregnancy and risk of advanced β cell autoimmunity in the child

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2008-08, Vol.88 (2), p.458-464
• Main Authors: Uusitalo, Liisa, Kenward, Mike G, Virtanen, Suvi M, Uusitalo, Ulla, Nevalainen, Jaakko, Niinistö, Sari, Kronberg-Kippilä, Carina, Ovaskainen, Marja-Leena, Marjamäki, Liisa, Simell, Olli, Ilonen, Jorma, Veijola, Riitta, Knip, Mikael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; antioxidants; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - metabolism; Autoantibodies - blood; autoimmunity; B-lymphocytes; Biological and medical sciences; Child; child nutrition; Child, Preschool; children; Cohort Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - prevention & control; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; fetal development; Finland - epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; HLA-DQ Antigens - genetics; HLA-DQ beta-Chains; Humans; Infant; insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; islets of Langerhans; Islets of Langerhans - immunology; maternal nutrition; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology; nutrient intake; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology; Prospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; trace elements; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Trace Elements - blood; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; vitamins; Vitamins - administration & dosage; Vitamins - blood
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/88.2.458

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes may have its origins in the fetal period of life. Free radicals were implicated in the cause of type 1 diabetes. It was hypothesized that antioxidant nutrients could protect against type 1 diabetes. OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether high maternal intake of selected dietary antioxidants during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of advanced β cell autoimmunity in the child, defined as repeated positivity for islet cell antibodies plus >=1 other antibody, overt type 1 diabetes, or both. DESIGN: The study was carried out as part of the population-based birth cohort of the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Project. The data comprised 4297 children with increased genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, born at the University Hospital of Oulu or Tampere, Finland, between October 1997 and December 2002. The children were monitored for diabetes-associated autoantibodies from samples obtained at 3-12-mo intervals. Maternal antioxidant intake during pregnancy was assessed postnatally with a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire, which contained a question about consumption of dietary supplements. RESULTS: Maternal intake of none of the studied antioxidant nutrients showed association with the risk of advanced β cell autoimmunity in the child. The hazard ratios, indicating the change in risk per a 2-fold increase in the intake of each antioxidant, were nonsignificant and close to 1. CONCLUSION: High maternal intake of retinol, β-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, or manganese does not protect the child from development of advanced β cell autoimmunity in early childhood.