We investigated the validity and reproducibility of the FFQ used in the Dutch European Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition cohort, in order to rank subjects according to intakes of fatty acid classes and individual fatty acids. In total, 121 men and women (23–72 years) filled out three FFQ at 6-month intervals between 1991 and 1992. As a reference method, they filled out twelve monthly 24-h dietary recalls (24HDR) during the same year. Intra-class correlation coefficients for the FFQ showed moderate to good reproducibility across all fatty acids (classes and individual) in men (0·56–0·81) and women (0·57–0·83). In men, Spearman’s correlation coefficients (rs) for the FFQ compared with the 24HDR indicated moderate to good relative validity (rs=0·45–0·71) for all fatty acids, except for arachidonic acid and marine PUFA (rs<0·40). In women, relative validity was moderate to good for MUFA and trans-fatty acids (TFA) and the majority of SFA (rs=0·40–0·66), was fair for the short-chain SFA and lauric acid (rs=0·30–0·33) and was fair to moderate for PUFA (rs=0·22–0·47). Bland–Altman plots showed good agreement between the FFQ and 24HDR, and proportional bias for fatty acids with very low intakes. In conclusion, the FFQ showed good reproducibility for subject ranking based on intakes of fatty acids (classes and individual). The relative validity measures indicated that the FFQ is an adequate tool to rank subjects according to intakes of high-abundant fatty acids, but less for low-abundant fatty acids.

Cultural background is an important variable influencing neuropsychological performance. Multinational projects usually involve gathering data from participants from different countries and/or different cultures. Little is known about the influence of culture on neuropsychological testing results in children and especially in European children. The objectives of this study were to compare neuropsychological performance of children from six European countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Spain) using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and to apply a statistical procedure to reduce the influence of country/cultural differences in neuropsychological performance. As expected, the results demonstrated differences in neuropsychological performance among children of the six countries involved. Cultural differences remained after adjusting for other confounders related to neuropsychological execution, such as sex, type of delivery, maternal age, gestational age and maternal educational level. Differences between countries disappeared and influence of culture was considerably reduced when standardised scores by country and sex were used. These results highlight the need for developing specific procedures to compare neuropsychological performance among children from different cultures to be used in multicentre studies.

Studies have demonstrated that isolated soya protein (ISP) can slow the progression of renal injury, reduce blood pressure and improve the serum lipid profile in experimental animals and human subjects. The mechanisms and components of soya responsible have not been fully established. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of the hydrophilic supernatant fraction (SF) and the hydrophobic precipitate fraction (PF) isolated from soya protein hydrolysate on renal function, lipid metabolism and blood pressure in five-sixths nephrectomized rats. Experimental animals were subjected to a nephrectomy and allocated to four groups (180g casei/g, 180g IS/g, 100g casei/g with 80g S/g, and 100g casei/g with 80g P/g). The SF group had the most significant decreases in blood pressure and total cholesterol, as well as a significantly retarded progression of the experimentally induced renal disease, compared with the other groups. The PF group exhibited a significantly increased faecal excretion of total steroids. The serum creatinine, level of proteinuria, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, and blood pressure were significantly reduced, and HDL-cholesterol was significantly increased, in the ISP and PF groups compared with the casein group, but no significant differences were observed between the ISP and PF groups. These results suggest that both soya protein hydrolysate fractions favourably affected chronic renal failure induced by a five-sixths nephrectomy, and the hydrophilic fraction of soya protein hydrolysate had the most pronounced effect on attenuating hypertension and slowing the progression of renal disease.

The physico-chemical and interfacial properties of fat emulsions influence lipid digestion and may affect postprandial responses. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the modification of the interfacial layer of a fat emulsion by cross-linking on postprandial metabolic and appetite responses. A total of fifteen healthy individuals (26·5 (sem 6·9) years and BMI 21·9 (sem 2·0) kg/m2) participated in a cross-over design experiment in which they consumed two isoenergetic (1924 kJ (460 kcal)) and isovolumic (250 g) emulsions stabilised with either sodium caseinate (Cas) or transglutaminase-cross-linked sodium caseinate (Cas-TG) in a randomised order. Blood samples were collected from the individuals at baseline and for 6 h postprandially for the determination of serum TAG and plasma NEFA, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose and insulin responses. Appetite was assessed using visual analogue scales. Postprandial TAG and NEFA responses and gastric emptying (GE) rates were comparable between the emulsions. CCK increased more after the ingestion of Cas-TG than after the ingestion of Cas (P< 0·05), while GLP-1 responses did not differ between the two test emulsions. Glucose and insulin profiles were lower after consuming Cas-TG than after consuming Cas (P< 0·05). The overall insulin, glucose and CCK responses, expressed as areas above/under the curve, did not differ significantly between the Cas and Cas-TG meal conditions. Satiety ratings were reduced and hunger, desire to eat and thirst ratings increased more after the ingestion of Cas-TG than after the ingestion of Cas (P< 0·05). The present results suggest that even a subtle structural modification of the interfacial layer of a fat emulsion can alter the early postprandial profiles of glucose, insulin, CCK, appetite and satiety through decreased protein digestion without affecting significantly on GE or overall lipid digestion.

This study examined the growth regulatory effects of a phyto-oestrogen, biochanin A, on a transformed human endothelial cell line ECV304 in vitro. Biochanin A was found to inhibit cell proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion and this effect was influenced by the concentration of serum present in the culture medium. In the absence of serum, the calculated IC50 of biochanin A was 0.18 ± 0.1 μM COMPARED TO AN IC50 OF 35±5 Μm at 10 % serum. At low cell density, the growth inhibitory effects of biochanin A were more evident than at high cell density. Co-administration of a synthetic oestrogen diethylstilboestrol with biochanin A did not suppress the growth regulatory effects of biochanin A treatment. We conclude that biochanin A inhibits the cell proliferation of human endothelial cells at concentrations that are physiologically achievable in vivo and that this effect may play an important role in the cancer-preventing activity of the phyto-oestrogens.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused mild illness in children, until the emergence of the novel hyperinflammatory condition paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PIMS-TS). PIMS-TS is thought to be a post-SARS-CoV-2 immune dysregulation with excessive inflammatory cytokine release. We studied 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations in children with PIMS-TS, admitted to a tertiary paediatric hospital in the UK, due to its postulated role in cytokine regulation and immune response. Eighteen children (median (range) age 8·9 (0·3-14·6) years, male = 10) met the case definition. The majority were of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) origin (89 %, 16/18). Positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were present in 94 % (17/18) and RNA by PCR in 6 % (1/18). Seventy-eight percentage of the cohort were vitamin D deficient (< 30 nmol/l). The mean 25OHD concentration was significantly lower when compared with the population mean from the 2015/16 National Diet and Nutrition Survey (children aged 4–10 years) (24 v. 54 nmol/l (95 % CI −38·6, −19·7); P < 0·001). The paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) group had lower mean 25OHD concentrations compared with the non-PICU group, but this was not statistically significant (19·5 v. 31·9 nmol/l; P = 0·11). The higher susceptibility of BAME children to PIMS-TS and also vitamin D deficiency merits contemplation. Whilst any link between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COVID-19 and related conditions including PIMS-TS requires further evidence, public health measures to improve vitamin D status of the UK BAME population have been long overdue.

The influence of propionate supplementation on the splanchnic metabolism of amino acids (AA) and other N compounds (urea-N and NH3-N) and the supply of AA and NH3-N to the hindlimb was investigated in growing lambs. Six rumen-cannulated and multicatheterised lambs (32·2kg) were fed frozen rye grass at 690kJ metabolisable energy intake/d per kg average metabolic body weight. They were infused intraruminally with a salt solution (control) or with propionate solutions at 0·23mol/l (P1) or 0·41mol/l (P2) infused at a maximal rate of 1·68 (sd 0·057) ml/min according to a repeated Latin square design. The propionate infusion did not increase the net portal appearance of total AA (TAA)-N but increased that of some branched-chain AA (valine and to a lesser extent isoleucine). Simultaneously, the propionate treatment (especially P2) induced an increased TAA utilisation by the liver. This was due mainly to an increased (+79%; P<0·07) utilisation of the essential AA and particularly the branched-chain AA. A stimulation of protein synthesis in the liver is hypothesised since (1) propionate stimulated insulin secretion and (2) utilisation of non-essential AA were less influenced by the propionate treatment in the liver (except for alanine), suggesting that the AA utilised by the liver were directed towards protein synthesis rather than towards oxidation or urea synthesis. At the splanchnic level, the propionate treatment did not have any effect on the TAA, non-essential AA and essential AA, except for a net splanchnic release that was decreased for leucine (P<0·02) and methionine (P<0·01) and increased for threonine (P<0·05). The propionate treatment did not have any effect on the hindlimb uptake of AA (essential and non-essential). As a consequence, even though the propionate treatment induced some major alterations in the splanchnic metabolism of AA, there were no changes in the net AA balance in the hindlimb (and hence probably on muscle growth). The role of the splanchnic tissues in the regulation of the AA supply to the peripheral tissues (such as muscle) therefore appears to be prominent in the regulation of muscle growth. Whether the peripheral tissues regulate their own supply by interacting with the splanchnic tissues (and especially the liver) or the liver is the only regulator of the AA supply to the muscle remains in doubt.

FFQ, the primary method of dietary assessment in large-scale nutritional epidemiological studies, preclude an informed evaluation of the timing of dietary intake and meal-specific dietary intake. In this study, we developed the Meal-based Diet History Questionnaire (MDHQ), a self-administered questionnaire designed for estimating food and nutrient intakes for each meal type separately. The development was done based on a 16-d dietary record obtained from 242 Japanese adults. The MDHQ consisted of the three different parts, with a total of 196 items. Part 1 of the MDHQ asks about consumption frequency of generic food groups (n 24) for each meal type: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and night snack. Part 2 of the MDHQ asks about relative consumption frequency of sub-food groups within one of the generic food groups which are asked in Part 1. Combining information derived from Parts 1 and 2 enables us to increase the number of foods we can estimate efficiently but within a limited number of questions. Part 3 of the MDHQ asks about general eating behaviours, which are intended to use in a variety of ways during dietary intake calculation. A series of calculation algorithms for food groups, energy and nutrients was also prepared. Given that the MDHQ was empirically developed based on comprehensive information on actual food consumption, this innovative tool may be promising for future epidemiological research on meal patterns and time of day of dietary intake, or chrono-nutrition research. A rigorous evaluation of validity of the MDHQ is warranted.

The association between lifestyle and survival after colorectal cancer has received limited attention. The female sex hormone, oestrogen, has been associated with lower colorectal cancer risk and mortality after colorectal cancer. Phyto-oestrogens are plant compounds with structure similar to oestrogen, and the main sources in Western populations are plant lignans. We investigated the association between the main lignan metabolite, enterolactone and survival after colorectal cancer among participants in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. Prediagnosis plasma samples and lifestyle data, and clinical data from time of diagnosis from 416 women and 537 men diagnosed with colorectal cancer were used. Enterolactone was measured in plasma using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. Participants were followed from date of diagnosis until death or end of follow-up. During this time, 210 women and 325 men died (170 women and 215 men died due to colorectal cancer). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI. Enterolactone concentrations were associated with lower colorectal cancer-specific mortality among women (HRper doubling: 0·88, 95 % CI 0·80, 0·97, P=0·0123). For men, on the contrary, enterolactone concentrations were associated with higher colorectal cancer-specific mortality (HRper doubling: 1·10, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·21, P=0·0379). The use of antibiotics affects enterolactone production, and the associations between higher enterolactone and lower colorectal cancer-specific mortality were more pronounced among women who did not use antibiotics (analysis on a subset). Our results suggest that enterolactone is associated with lower risk of mortality among women, but the opposite association was found among men.

1. The effect of short-term and long-term feeding (0–80 d) with a liquid diet containing ethanol on the activity of rat hepatic enzymes related to lipogenesis has been evaluated. Carbohydrates were isoenergetically substituted for ethanol in the control animals.

2. The maximum concentration of triglycerides in the livers was reached after about 30 d, when it was almost three times as high as in the control animals. The activity of malic enzyme (EC 1·1·1·40) and ATP citrate lyase (EC 4·1·3·8) decreased significantly in the ethanol group, compared with the control rats, within 10 d and remained low during the rest of the experiment (80 d). After 20 d, the acetyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6·2·1·1) activity increased significantly in the livers of the ethanol-fed rats but fell subsequently to values similar to those in the livers of the control rats. Thus, despite a pronounced increase in the amount of triglyceride in the livers of rats on a liquid diet containing ethanol, there was a dramatic decrease in the activity of the enzymes (malic enzyme and citrate lyase) involved in lipogenesis.

3. The almost unchanged activity of acetyl-CoA synthetase shows that the utilization of acetate, produced when ethanol is oxidized, is not stimulated by long-term feeding with ethanol. The involvement of citrate lyase in various postulated shuttles for the transport of reducing equivalents across the mitochondrial membrane and the role of malic enzyme in the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system are discussed.

EPA (20 : 5n-3) and DHA (22 : 6n-3) fatty acids have weight-reducing properties with physiological activity depending on their molecular structure – that is, as TAG or ethyl esters (EE). Aquaporins (AQP) are membrane protein channels recognised as important players in fat metabolism, but their differential expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), as well as their modulation by dietary n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) such as EPA and DHA, has never been investigated. In this study, the transcriptional profiles of AQP3, AQP5, AQP7 and selected lipid markers of WAT (subcutaneous and visceral) and BAT (interscapular) from hamsters fed diets containing n-3 LCPUFA in different lipid structures such as fish oil (FO, rich in EPA and DHA in the TAG form) and FO-EE (rich in EPA and DHA in the EE form) were used and compared with linseed oil (LSO) as the reference group. A clear effect of fat depot was observed for AQP3 and leptin (LEP), with the lowest values of mRNA found in BAT relative to WAT. The opposite occurred for PPARα. AQP7 was affected by diet, with FO-fed hamsters having higher mRNA levels compared with LSO-fed hamsters. The relative gene expression of AQP5, adiponectin (ADIPO), GLUT4 and PPARγ was influenced by both fat tissue and diet. Taken together, our results revealed a differential expression profile of AQP and some markers of lipid metabolism in both WAT and BAT in response to feeding n-3 LCPUFA in two different structural formats: TAG v. EE.

Vitamin A treatment reduces mortality during acute measles infection, and vitamin A supplementation (VAS) to children above 6 months of age may reduce the incidence of measles infection. The effect of VAS at birth on measles incidence is unknown. In a randomised placebo-controlled trial in Guinea-Bissau, normal-birth-weight newborns were randomised to 50 000 IU (15 mg) VAS or placebo. During the trial, a measles epidemic occurred. We linked data from the trial with data from the measles infection surveillance and studied the effect of VAS on the measles incidence before 12 months of age in both sexes. A total of 165 measles cases were identified among the 4183 children followed from 28 d of age. Up to 6 months of age, the incidence rate ratio of measles for VAS compared with placebo was 0·54 (95 % CI 0·25, 1·15) among boys and 1·57 (95 % CI 0·80, 3·08) among girls (test of interaction, P = 0·04). The corresponding figures at 12 months were 0·67 (95 % CI 0·43, 1·05) and 1·17 (95 % CI 0·76, 1·79) (test of interaction, P = 0·08). VAS compared with placebo tended to be associated with less measles hospitalisation or death during the first 6 months of life in boys (P = 0·06), but not in girls. VAS at birth may affect the susceptibility to measles infection during the first 6 months of life in a sex-differential manner.

Hmong are one of the immigrant Asian subgroups with increasing rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD. Despite their population growth in the USA and declining health status, no research has investigated the appropriateness of dietary assessment measures, including FFQ and 24 h dietary recalls among Hmong. The present study compared the nutrient information obtained through a 24 h dietary recall method with that collected using the Block Kid's Food Frequency Questionnaire (Block FFQ) among Hmong-American children (n 335) of 9–18 years of age. For this purpose, two 24 h dietary recalls were collected during non-consecutive days and averaged for comparison. The Block FFQ was administered on the day of the second 24 h recall and the two methodologies were also compared using t tests. Among all children, Block FFQ nutrient estimates for vitamin A, vitamin C and food group servings for vegetables and fruits were significantly higher than those assessed through the 24 h dietary recalls (P< 0·001). Nutrient estimates for protein and food group servings for grains and meat and beans were significantly higher among all participants when assessed through the 24 h dietary recalls than through the Block FFQ (P< 0·05). The results suggest that the Block FFQ does not appear to be a good measure of protein, grain, and meat and bean intake among Hmong children of 9–18 years of age, and the 24 h dietary recall offers a better account of the Hmong diet and is inclusive of ethnic food options otherwise missed in the Block FFQ. We recommend the modification of the current Block FFQ to appropriately reflect cultural food/beverage items of the population in interest.

Body weight is a major risk determinant of frailty, but the effect of obesity on frailty is controversial. The present study aimed to confirm the hypothesis that the risk of frailty is positively associated with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), but the association is mediated by the waist:height ratio (WHtR) in older women and men. A total of 2862 community-dwelling older individuals aged 70–84 years were assessed for frailty using the Korean version of Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of weight index. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) was associated with a higher risk of frailty compared with BMI 18·5–<23 kg/m2 in all the older individuals (OR 1·88; 95 % CI 1·11, 3·17; P = 0·018) and in older women (OR 1·86; 95 % CI 1·01, 3·42; P = 0·047) before adjusting for WHtR but was not associated with BMI after adjusting for WHtR. Additionally, obesity was not significantly associated with the risk of frailty before and after adjusting for WHtR in older men. Mediation analysis revealed that the association between BMI and frailty score was mediated by WHtR. Moreover, the mediating effect of WHtR on frailty score was positive in both women and men, but the frailty score was associated with BMI positively in women and negatively in men. The present study suggests that the risk of frailty is higher in obese women, which is mediated by WHtR, but not in obese men.

Brewer's yeast was grown on a defined medium containing tracer 51Cr with or without added chromium. The two batches of yeast contained 10 μg/g (high-Cr) or 80 ng/g (low-Cr). Extracts were prepared and fractionated. A third batch of yeast (third batch) was grown with added Cr, and fractionated. Rats were reared on either rat cubes (normal diet) or on a low-Cr diet (low-Cr), or on rat cubes with added cholestyramine (cholestyramine diet). Preparations of rat liver, both cell-free and intact hepatocytes, incorporated acetate-carbon into fatty acids and cholesterol. These processes were inhibited by a yeast fraction containing small, neutral, water-soluble compounds. The degree of inhibition was the same whether the liver came from normal rats or rats fed on the low-Cr diet. Similarly the inhibitory effect was found with identical amounts of extracts from low- or high-Cr yeasts. Therefore, Cr compounds do not appear to account for the inhibitory effects of brewer's yeast. Use of other substrates indicated that the site of inhibition of sterol synthesis was apparently between acetyl-CoA and mevalonate. One inhibitory substance was isolated from yeast and was found to be nicotinamide riboside. This may have been produced from NAD(P) during the preparation of yeast extracts, and it may be produced from dietary yeast supplements during digestion in vivo. Nicotinamide riboside may be partly responsible for the reported effects of yeast supplements on plasma lipids in humans.

Effects of acute (meal) and chronic (diet) level of protein supply on metabolic leucine utilization were investigated in growing (10 weeks) and mature (> 1 year) rats. Rats were conditioned on a high-protein (HP) diet (210 g casein/kg feed) or a low-protein(LP) diet (75 g casein/kg feed) from 7 weeks of age. Overnight-fasted rats were offered a HP or LP meal during a 8 h 14CO2 breath test with a constant infusion of either L-[l-14C]leucine (carboxyl, CL) or L-[U-14C]leucine (universal, UL). Before the meal 14CO2 output was lower for overnight-fasted rats fed on LP than on HP (P < 0·001), and also lower for growing than for mature rats (P < 0·001). Meal ingestion resulted in a rapid increase in 14CO2 output. From 2 h after the start of the meal the effect of acute protein supply on 14CO2 output was significant (P < 0·001), while the effect of chronic protein supply disappeared for CL. After the meal 14CO2 output was transiently lower for growing than for mature rats (P < 0·05), especially after the LP meal. The difference in 14CO 2 output between CL and UL increased transiently after the meal, indicating an increase in decarboxylation relative to total oxidation of leucine. In conclusion: (1) metabolic leucine utilization after overnight fasting depends on the level of chronic protein supply and stage of development of the animal, (2) metabolic leucine utilization after feeding depends primarily on the level of acute protein supply, (3) the transient increase in non-protein label retention suggests a temporal oversupply ofleucine relative to the actual metabolic state.

The aim of the present study was to analyse the different food and nutrient intakes of the adult Irish population from the lowest and highest quartiles of intake for total fat (%energy) dietary fibre (g/MJ) and fruit and vegetables (g/day). Data on Irish adults (n = 715) from the Irish National Nutrition Survey conducted in 1989 were used for the analyses and showed that the average diet is low in dietary fibre, with fruit and vegetables being only half the recommended level of 400 g. Comparisons of people with low or high intakes (from lowest and highest quartiles) of total fat (%energy), dietary fibre (g/MJ) and fruit and vegetables (g/day) show patterns of food intake differing in both the percentage of consumers and in the mean intakes among consumers only. This analysis provides data which may be useful as a first step towards the development of food-based dietary guidelines for Ireland. In particular, the low intake of fruit and vegetables in the adult Irish population deserves special attention.

Frequent consumption of energy-dense foods has been strongly implicated in the global increase of obesity. The World Cancer Research Fund suggests a population-level energy density (ED) goal for diets of 523 kJ/100 g (125 kcal/100 g) as desirable for reducing weight gain and related co-morbidities. However, there is limited information about the ED of diets of contemporary populations. The aims of the present study were to (1) estimate the mean ED of the Scottish diet, (2) assess differences in ED over time by socio-economic position, by household (HH) composition and for HH meeting dietary targets for fat and fruit and vegetables, and (3) assess the relationship between ED and the consumption of foods and nutrients, which are indicative of diet quality. ED of the diet was estimated from food (including milk) from UK food purchase survey data. The average ED of the Scottish diet was estimated as 718 kJ/100 g with no change between the survey periods 2001 and 2009. Individuals living in the most deprived areas had a higher mean ED than those living in the least deprived areas (737 v. 696 kJ/100 g). Single-parent HH had the highest mean ED (765 kJ/100 g) of all the HH surveyed. The mean ED of HH achieving dietary targets for fat and fruit and vegetables was 576 kJ/100 g compared with 731 kJ/100 g for non-achievers. HH within the lowest quintile of ED were, on average, closest to meeting most dietary guidelines. Food purchase data can be used to monitor the quality of the diet in terms of dietary ED of the population and subgroups defined by an area-based measure of socio-economic status.

This study examines the associations between maternal Traditional dietary pattern adherence and HIV/treatment with neonatal size and adiposity in urban, black South Africans, as well as how specific maternal factors – that is BMI and gestational weight gain (GWG) – may influence these associations. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations among maternal Traditional diet pattern adherence (pattern score), HIV/treatment status (three groups: HIV negative, HIV positive (antenatal antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation), HIV positive (pre-pregnancy ART initiation)), BMI and GWG (kg/week), and newborn (1) weight:length ratio (WLR, kg/m) in 393 mother–neonate pairs, and (2) Peapod estimated fat mass index (FMI, kg/m3) in a 171-pair subsample. In fully adjusted models, maternal obesity and GWG were associated with 0·25 kg/m (P=0·008) and 0·48 kg/m (P=0·002) higher newborn WLR, whereas Traditional diet pattern score was associated with lower newborn WLR (−0·04 kg/m per +1 sd; P=0·033). In addition, Traditional diet pattern score was associated with 0·13 kg/m3 (P=0·027) and 0·32 kg/m3 (P=0·005) lower FMI in the total sample and in newborns of normal-weight women, respectively. HIV-positive (pre-pregnancy ART) v. HIV-negative (ref) status was associated with 1·11 kg/m3 (P=0·002) higher newborn FMI. Promotion of a Traditional dietary pattern, alongside a healthy maternal pre-conception weight, in South African women may reduce newborn adiposity and metabolic risk profiles. In HIV-positive women, targeted monitoring and management strategies are necessary to limit treatment-associated effects on in utero fat deposition.