Preeclampsia is a dangerous type of high blood pressure during pregnancy, but a recent study has found that a diet based on cultural food preferences may help to reduce the risk. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that a combination of solid fats, refined grains, and cheese was linked to higher rates of preeclampsia among a group of low-income Latinas in Los Angeles. In contrast, women who ate vegetables, fruits, and meals made with healthy oils were less likely to develop the illness. The study also found that the combination of vegetables, fruits, and healthy oils, such as olive oil, showed a stronger correlation with lower rates of preeclampsia than did the Healthy Eating Index-2015, a list of dietary recommendations designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The study, led by Dr. Luis Maldonado of the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at USC Keck, suggests that dietary recommendations for pregnant Latinas should incorporate more foods from their culture. “A lot of studies that have been done among pregnant women in general have been predominantly white, and diet is very much tied to culture,” Maldonado said. “Your culture can facilitate how you eat because you know what your favorite food is.”
Preeclampsia is estimated to occur in about 5% of pregnancies in the U.S. and is among the leading causes of maternal morbidity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It typically occurs during the third trimester of pregnancy and is associated with obesity, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, among other conditions. There isn’t a way to cure or predict preeclampsia, and the disease can damage the heart and liver and lead to other complications for both the mother and the baby, including preterm birth and even death.
The study included 451 Latina women who participated in the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors Center, a USC research group that studies the effects of environmental exposures and social stressors on the health of mothers and their children. Of the participants, 12% developed preeclampsia, a number almost twice the national average. More than half of the participants, who averaged 28 years old, had pre-pregnancy risks, such as diabetes and high body mass index.
The researchers identified two significant patterns of eating: one in which the most consumed foods were vegetables, oils, fruits, whole grains, and yogurt; and a second in which the women’s diet consisted primarily of solid fats, refined grains, cheese, added sugar, and processed meat. Women who followed the first eating pattern had a lower rate of preeclampsia than those who followed the second.
When the researchers tested for a correlation between lower rates of preeclampsia and the Healthy Eating Index-2015, they found it was not statistically significant except for women who were overweight before pregnancy. The Healthy Eating Index includes combinations of nutrients and foods, like dairy and fatty acids.
More research is needed to determine the exact profile of fruits, vegetables, and oils that could benefit Latina women, Maldonado said. However, the study suggests that dietary recommendations for pregnant Latinas should incorporate more foods from their culture.
