Abstract Background This study investigated how maternal fish intake during pregnancy influences offspring’s risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Crohn’s disease (CD), Ulcerative colitis (UC), and explored associated offspring metabolite changes. Methods Maternal and offspring data were retrieved from the Danish National Birth Cohort and National Patient Register. Mother-child dyads were selected if mothers had a singleton pregnancy, responded to the food frequency questionnaire at week 25 of pregnancy, and had energy intakes between 2,500 and 25,000 kJ/day. Offspring were followed for diagnosis of IBD until age 18. Maternal intakes of total, lean and oily fish, and fish omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were assessed in g/day as tertiles, while fish oil supplementation was assessed as yes/no. A subset of later IBD cases was matched for sample acquisition and collection times, gestational age or birthweight, and sex, and dried blood spot cards collected at birth were used to determine the metabolite profiles in offspring. Hazard ratios (HR) for IBD with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were evaluated using Cox regression for the dietary and metabolites analyses. To identify metabolites associated with each fish group, regularised linear regression was implemented. All analyses were adjusted for pre-pregnancy body mass index, job qualification, age at birth, maternal antibiotic use, smoking, parental IBD, maternal energy intake, while metabolite analyses were additionally adjusted for gestational age, offspring gender and birth weight. Results In total, 59,430 mother-child dyads were included, with 169 offspring developing IBD (CD = 93; UC = 76). A subset of 120 mother-child dyads was included in the metabolite analysis, with 62 offspring developing IBD. The median total fish intake was 20.3 g/day, and 576 metabolites were analysed. High (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.42- 0.89) and average (0.65; 0.45-0.94) total fish intakes were associated with reduced offspring IBD risk. Similarly, high (0.56; 0.39-0.82) and average (0.55; 0.38-0.80) lean fish and high fish omega-3 PUFAs (0.66; 0.44-0.98) were associated with reduced IBD risk. Moreover, high total (0.52; 0.30-0.89) and lean fish (0.47; 0.27-0.80) intakes were significantly associated with reduced CD when compared to low intake, while average lean fish intake was associated with reduced UC risk (0.42; 0.23-0.77). Additionally, maternal fish intake was associated with 64 offspring metabolites, including phenolic, amino acid and tryptophan metabolites, although none were associated with IBD risk in offspring. Conclusion Maternal fish intake during pregnancy was associated with reduced risk for IBD in offspring and with distinct changes in the metabolite profile at birth in the offspring. Conflict of interest: Ms. Ciobotaru, Gabriela: There are no conflicts of interest to declare. Ayten, Serife: I declare no conflicts of interest. Anneberg, Olivia Mariella Rosie: No conflicts if interest to declare. Olsen, Sjurdur Frodi: I have no conflicts of interest to declare Vinkel Hansen, Anne: Anne Vinkel Hansen discloses no conflicts of interest Bjerregaard, Anne Ahrendt: None to declare Halldorsson, Thorhallur: none Ernst, Madeleine: None declared. Ottosson, Filip: None Jess, Tine: Personal Fees: Consultancy for Ferring, Pfizer, Johnson&Johnson Brusco De Freitas, Maiara: I have no conflict of interest
Ciobotaru et al. (Thu,) studied this question.