(PTFS01-03-23) Development and Association of Metabolite Meat-Intake Scores With Glycemia in Pregnancy: An Observational Study of the Born in Bradford Cohort

Objectives: The association between dietary protein and gestational dysglycemia is well demonstrated. However, the relationship between protein source, namely meat intake, and glycemic control in pregnancy remains unclear. Metabolites offer a novel approach to untangle this association and better understand the role of animal protein metabolism on glucose metabolism in pregnancy. Therefore, we aimed to i) develop a metabolic meat-intake score (MMS) by identifying metabolites associated with meat intake, and ii) examine the association of this MMS with measures of glycemic control in pregnancy.

Methods: 7,004 pregnant women (mean gestational age 26.3 weeks) in the Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort were stratified as meat consumers or non-meat consumers based on food frequency data. Partial least squares was then applied to identify cardinal metabolites that characterise each group based on quantitative NMR data for 227 metabolites from fasting serum. A weighted metabolite meat-intake score was then calculated for each participant and regressed against fasting and postprandial plasma glucose after adjustment for covariates.

Results: 38 metabolite were important ( VIP [Variable Importance in Projection] score ≥ 1) for distinguishing meat eaters from non-meat eaters; extremely and very large VLDL triglycerides and ratio of saturated fatty acids/total fatty acids were most important metabolites. Multiple linear regression adjusted for covariates (i.e., ethnicity, age, gestational age, BMI, parity, and IMD) revealed that MMS was associated with lower post-oral plasma glucose (β: -0.003 mmol/L, CI: -0.006, -0.005, and p = 0.02). No association was observed between MMS and fasting plasma glucose.

Conclusions: Our work demonstrates that meat consumers can be characterised by a distinct metabolite profile, namely VLDL triglycerides and saturated fatty acids metabolites, and that this profile is associated with improved postprandial glucose response in pregnancy. Future work is needed to evaluate how timing of meat intake in pregnancy and protein source (e.g., animal vs plant; whole food vs protein powder) modifies the association and its efficacy as a strategy for minimising risk of dysglycemia.

Funding Sources: University of Leeds (School of Food Science and Nutrition) and Wellcome Trust