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Nutrients
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Diet Quality and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women
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Diet Quality and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition in Women".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2026 | Viewed by 1948

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qian Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Rd, Changsha 410078, China
Interests: community nutrition; maternal and child nutrition; public health; nutrition and chronic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jihua Chen

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Rd, Changsha 410078, China
Interests: maternal and child nutrition; chronic disease prevention; osteoporosis prevention; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pregnancy nutrition impacts pregnancy outcomes and long-term child health. Today, many women face a constantly evolving dietary environment, containing risks that are not yet fully understood.

This Special Issue focuses on the relationship between overall dietary quality and nutritional status during pregnancy, as well as maternal and infant health.

We welcome original research papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses on the interactions between nutrition, metabolism, and health during pregnancy, including but not limited to, the following:

  1. Specific dietary patterns or dietary quality indicators and nutritional metabolism and health during pregnancy;
  2. The impact of dietary quality and/or nutritional status during pregnancy on early life health;
  3. Exploring the effects of consuming ultra-processed foods or artificial food additives during pregnancy on maternal and infant health;
  4. The application of artificial intelligence, digital health tools, or other innovative methods to perinatal dietary quality assessment and improvement.

Prof. Dr. Qian Lin
Dr. Jihua Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pregnancy nutrition
  • diet quality
  • dietary pattern
  • nutritional metabolism
  • maternal and child health
  • ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
  • digital health/AI in nutrition

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 446 KB  
Article
Assessment of Iodine Status in Pregnant Women: Diagnostic Performance of Spot Urinary Iodine Indices Compared with 24-h Urinary Iodine Excretion
by Emre Altuğ, Gamze Dur, Nazli Sensoy, Aysen Mert and Halit Bugra Koca
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050835 - 4 Mar 2026
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Background: Adequate iodine intake during pregnancy is essential for optimal maternal thyroid function and fetal neurodevelopment. Although universal salt iodization has been implemented in Turkey, pregnant women may remain vulnerable to iodine insufficiency. This study aimed to evaluate maternal thyroid function in [...] Read more.
Background: Adequate iodine intake during pregnancy is essential for optimal maternal thyroid function and fetal neurodevelopment. Although universal salt iodization has been implemented in Turkey, pregnant women may remain vulnerable to iodine insufficiency. This study aimed to evaluate maternal thyroid function in relation to iodine status, and to comprehensively compare the diagnostic performance of spot urinary indices and creatinine-adjusted measures against measured 24 h urinary iodine excretion (24h-UIE) in pregnant women. Methods: A total of 227 pregnant women attending family health centers in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, provided both spot urine samples and complete 24 h urine collections. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), creatinine-corrected UIC (UIC/UCr), and 24h-UIE were measured. Thyroid function tests were interpreted using trimester-specific reference ranges. Correlations between urinary indices were assessed, and ROC analyses were performed using 24h-UIE as the operational reference. A structured questionnaire evaluated iodine-related dietary knowledge and salt-use practices. Results: The median spot UIC was 59.0 µg/L, indicating insufficient recent iodine intake at the population level. Based on 24h-UIE, 70% of participants had excretion levels below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) threshold (<144 µg/day). Spot UIC showed a weak correlation with 24h-UIE (rho = 0.270, p < 0.001), whereas UIC/UCr demonstrated a stronger correlation (rho = 0.491, p < 0.001). In ROC analyses, UIC/UCr yielded a significantly higher AUC than spot UIC (0.774 [95% CI: 0.707–0.841] vs. 0.670 [95% CI: 0.593–0.748]; DeLong p = 0.016). Overt hypothyroidism was not observed; subclinical hypothyroidism was present in 16.3% of participants. While no overall association was found between iodine indices and thyroid status, in the first trimester, those with subclinical hypothyroidism had higher 24h-UIE medians than euthyroid peers (134.2 vs. 100.3 µg/day, p = 0.037), although both groups remained below the EAR threshold. Knowledge regarding iodine-rich foods and iodized salt use was limited among the study population. Conclusions: Iodine insufficiency remains highly prevalent among pregnant women in this region despite salt iodization. While spot UIC alone showed limited agreement with 24h-UIE, creatinine-adjusted UIC may offer improved interpretability under conditions of variable urine dilution. Preserved thyroid function in the presence of iodine insufficiency highlights the silent nature of this condition during pregnancy. Strengthened pregnancy-specific iodine surveillance and targeted antenatal education are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet Quality and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women)
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16 pages, 821 KB  
Article
Which Combined Profiles of Physical Activity and Dietary Intake Are Associated with Postpartum Prediabetes Status Among Women with Prior Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Underserved Rural Areas of Central South China?
by Mengdi Li, Qingqing Liu, Yao Chen, Yimeng Li, Zhenzhen Rao, Manping Wang, Carles Muntaner and Jia Guo
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050812 - 1 Mar 2026
Viewed by 470
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at higher risk for prediabetes, particularly when inactivity or poor diet persists after childbirth. These behaviors often co-occur, and their combined effect is greater than the sum of individual risks. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at higher risk for prediabetes, particularly when inactivity or poor diet persists after childbirth. These behaviors often co-occur, and their combined effect is greater than the sum of individual risks. This study aimed to identify physical activity and dietary profiles among women with prior GDM in underserved areas, examine their association with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and investigate their associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected in July 2018 and November 2022 from two randomized controlled trials was conducted (n = 633). Activity, dietary intake, glucose levels, and socio-demographic, anthropometric, and psychosocial characteristics were collected. Latent profile analysis identified behavior profiles. Binary and multiple logistic regressions assessed associations and influencing factors. Results: Three distinct profiles were identified including “Less Activity and Low Dietary Fiber Intake group”, “Adequate Activity but Low Dietary Fiber Intake group”, and “Adequate Activity but High Starch Intake group”. Compared with the “Adequate Activity but Low Dietary Fiber Intake group”, the “Less Activity and Low Dietary Fiber Intake group” had increased IFG risk (odds ratio [OR], 3.792; 95% CI, 1.146–12.543); women with non-precarious employment, no family history of diabetes, or inadequate external environmental resources were more likely in this group. “Adequate Activity but High Starch Intake group” had higher IFG (OR, 6.321; 95% CI, 1.500–26.639) and IGT (OR, 6.030; 95% CI, 1.530–23.770) risk; women with family income <416 USD/month or worse psychological health tended toward this group. Conclusions: Unhealthy behavior profiles were observed among women with prior GDM. High starch intake and insufficient activity were associated with greater prediabetes risks. Screening and education on physical activity and diet may warrant particular attention among women with non-precarious employment, low family income, or no family history of diabetes. In addition, integrating strategies that enhance psychological health and improve external environmental resources into lifestyle-related interventions may represent a promising approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet Quality and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women)
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Graphical abstract

17 pages, 3630 KB  
Article
Study on Association Between Gut Microbiota, Serum Metabolism and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Based on Metagenomic and Metabolomics Analysis
by Wenduo Yu, Kun Tang, Rongjing An, Sujuan Ma, Hongzhuan Tan and Mengshi Chen
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030381 - 23 Jan 2026
Viewed by 644
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to explore the association between maternal gut microbiota and metabolic profiles in the first trimester and the subsequent risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as to characterize association patterns linking gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and metabolic traits. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to explore the association between maternal gut microbiota and metabolic profiles in the first trimester and the subsequent risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as well as to characterize association patterns linking gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and metabolic traits. Methods: A nested case–control study was conducted among women with GDM (n = 47) and those without GDM (n = 94). Metagenomic sequencing was applied to analyze fecal microbiota, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was used for non-targeted plasma metabolomics. Differential microbiota and metabolites between groups were identified, and correlation analyses were conducted to assess their associations with clinical indicators. Results: Women who later developed GDM showed lower alpha diversity and higher beta diversity. Eleven differential species were identified, with Collinsella aerofaciens and Clostridium bartlettii enriched in GDM, while nine species such as Alistipes putredinis and Bacteroidales bacterium ph8 were enriched in controls. Sixty-four plasma metabolites differed between groups, including increased glycerol-3-phosphate, aromatic amino acids, and glycerophosphocholine, and decreased cysteine, tryptophan, niacinamide, and stearic acid. Correlation analyses revealed significant relationships between Alistipes putredinis, Eubacterium eligens, and Bacteroidales bacterium ph8 with metabolic and clinical indicators (e.g., TG, TC, LDL). Conclusions: In this nested case–control study, women who later developed GDM exhibited reduced gut microbial diversity and altered metabolic profiles during the first trimester of pregnancy. Several microbial taxa and microbiota–metabolite associations were observed in relation to subsequent GDM status, highlighting early-pregnancy microbial and metabolic features that may be relevant to GDM-related metabolic changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet Quality and Nutritional Status Among Pregnant Women)
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