Dataset Information

Targeting the Infant Gut Microbiota Through a Perinatal Educational Dietary Intervention: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The early life gut microbiota are an important regulator of the biological pathways contributing toward the pathogenesis of noncommunicable disease. It is unclear whether improvements to perinatal diet quality could alter the infant gut microbiota.

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of a perinatal educational dietary intervention in influencing gut microbiota in mothers and infants 4 weeks after birth.

Methods

The Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids randomized controlled trial aimed to recruit 90 pregnant women from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. At week 26 of gestation, women were randomized to receive dietary advice from their doctor (n=45), or additionally receive a dietary intervention (n=45). The intervention included an educational workshop and 2 support calls aiming to align participants' diets with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and increase intakes of prebiotic and probiotic foods. The educational design focused on active learning and self-assessment. Behavior change techniques were used to support dietary adherence, and the target behavior was eating for the gut microbiota. Exclusion criteria were age under 18 years, diagnosed mental illnesses, obesity, diabetes mellitus, diagnosed bowel conditions, exclusion diets, illicit drug use, antibiotic use, prebiotic or probiotic supplementation, and those lacking dietary autonomy. The primary outcome measure is a between-group difference in alpha diversity in infant stool collected 4 weeks after birth. Secondary outcomes include evaluating the efficacy of the intervention in influencing infant and maternal stool microbial composition and short chain fatty acid concentrations, epigenetic profile, and markers of inflammation and stress, as well as changes in maternal dietary intake and well-being. The study and intervention feasibility and acceptance will also be evaluated as secondary outcomes.

Results

The study results are yet to be written. The first participant was enrolled on July 28, 2016, and the final follow-up assessment was completed on October 11, 2017.

Conclusions

Data from this study will provide new insights regarding the ability of interventions targeting the perinatal diet to alter the maternal and infant gut microbiota. If this intervention is proven, our findings will support larger studies aiming to guide the assembly of gut microbiota in early life.

Trial registration

Australian Clinical Trials Registration Number ACTRN12616000936426; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370939.

International registered report identifier (irrid)

DERR1-10.2196/14771.

SUBMITTER: Dawson SL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6914305 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Targeting the Infant Gut Microbiota Through a Perinatal Educational Dietary Intervention: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dawson Samantha L SL Craig Jeffrey M JM Clarke Gerard G Mohebbi Mohammadreza M Dawson Phillip P Tang Mimi Lk ML Jacka Felice N FN

JMIR research protocols 20191021 10

<h4>Background</h4>The early life gut microbiota are an important regulator of the biological pathways contributing toward the pathogenesis of noncommunicable disease. It is unclear whether improvements to perinatal diet quality could alter the infant gut microbiota.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of a perinatal educational dietary intervention in influencing gut microbiota in mothers and infants 4 weeks after birth.<h4>Methods</h4>The Healthy Parents, Healthy K ...[more]

PMID: 31638593

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Dataset Information

Targeting the Infant Gut Microbiota Through a Perinatal Educational Dietary Intervention: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration

International registered report identifier (irrid)

Publications

Targeting the Infant Gut Microbiota Through a Perinatal Educational Dietary Intervention: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

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