title: Maternal vitamin D and E intakes during pregnancy are associated with asthma in children.
abstract: Are maternal vitamin D and E intakes during pregnancy associated with asthma in 10-year-old children? In a longitudinal study of 1924 children born to women recruited during pregnancy, maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy was assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and vitamin E by FFQ and plasma α-tocopherol; respiratory questionnaires were completed for the 10-year-old children. Their treatment for asthma was also ascertained using administrative data. Longitudinal analyses included data collected at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years. Symptom data were available for 934 (49%) children and use of asthma medication for 1748 (91%). In the children maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy was negatively associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma at 10 years of age (OR per intake quintile 0.86, 95% CI 0.74-0.99) and over the first 10 years (hazard ratio 0.90, 95% CI 0.81-1.00). Maternal plasma α-tocopherol at 11 weeks gestation was negatively associated with children receiving asthma treatment (OR per standard deviation increase 0.52, 95% CI 0.31-0.87). Maternal vitamin E intake was negatively associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.99) in the first 10 years. Low maternal vitamin D and E intakes during pregnancy are associated with increased risk of children developing asthma in the first 10 years of life. These associations may have significant public health implications.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Keith M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Nanda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.affiliation: Public Health Nutrition Group, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Leone C A
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Public Health Nutrition Group, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLay
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Helms
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Jon G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ayres
authors.affiliation: Dept of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seaton
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK g.devereux@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Devereux
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D014810:Vitamin E