Download or read book The Role of Maternal High Fat Feeding on the Developmental Programming of Adulthood Disease written by Sarah Henry and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is now well understood that the maternal environment encountered as a fetus can profoundly influence an individual's risk of developing a myriad of diseases in later life. In particular, maternal nutritional challenges can have significant developmental impacts to the fetus and this concept is generally referred to as the Developmental Programming of Adulthood Health and Disease. As many developed nations, including Australia, shift to states of nutritional excess, research focusing on adverse maternal conditions such as obesity, diabetes and high fat feeding is becoming critically relevant. Whilst numerous studies have begun to characterise the role of maternal obesity on offspring health, there is almost no understanding of how consumption of a maternal high fat diet, that does not cause frank obesity, might contribute to the programming of offspring health. Maternal obesity is not an isolated condition, and confounding factors such as altered hormonal profiles and gestational diabetes can make it difficult to delineate what factors are driving the varied developmental changes observed in offspring.While the longer term impacts of maternal high fat feeding on adult offspring is relatively well understood, there is limited information on the impact of high fat intake on the in utero environment, including the amniotic fluid and placenta. Furthermore, greater characterisation of the fetal phenotype is needed following maternal high fat feeding. In particular, limited information is available on the role of maternal fat intake and renal development. Finally, although several studies have assessed the role of maternal fat intake on aspects of postnatal vascular and cardiovascular function, adult renal function has not been fully assessed, despite strong evidence that disrupted renal development may increase the risk of developing disease in later life. AIMS & OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the impact of high maternal dietary saturated fat intake on fetal and postnatal development, including identifying the in utero adaptations to amniotic fluid lipid composition, fetal (including kidney) and placental growth and function. Long-term aims included investigation of the postnatal phenotype of offspring born to fat fed mothers, with particular focus on evaluating the long-term effects on renal, cardiovascular and sympathetic function.We hypothesised that maternal high fat feeding would modify placental transport of nutrients, resulting in a hyperlipidaemic fetal amniotic environment. As a result, fetal growth trajectory and organ development, specifically the kidneys, would be disrupted. Furthermore, we postulated that exposure to maternal high fat feeding would result in augmented blood pressure and renal dysfunction in offspring in later life and that increased sympathetic nerve activity may be responsible for these disruptions in physiological function. METHODS Investigations were carried out using Sprague-Dawley rats. For embryonic studies, female breeders were fed either a control (C; 7% canola oil) or a lard rich high fat (HF) (3% canola oil and 20% lard) diet for 3 weeks prior to mating and throughout pregnancy until embryonic day (E) 14.25, E17.25 or E20. At collection, embryos and placentas were weighed. Amniotic fluid and maternal plasma lipid profiles were determined using a lipidomics approach facilitated by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). Renal development was examined via culturing of embryonic kidneys and quantification of branching morphogenesis. In addition, gene expression of placental transporters and fetal liver substrates involved in lipid metabolism were determined using qPCR.For postnatal studies, female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to either C or HF diet for 3 weeks prior to mating, throughout pregnancy and lactation. From weaning, offspring were chow fed ad libitum. Physiological experiments were undertaken at 6 and 12 months of age. Renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma (eRPF) and blood flow (eRBF) were estimated in anaesthetized rats by 3H-inulin and 14C-para-aminohippurate clearance. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were determined in conscious animals using radiotelemetry. At 1 year of age, whole body noradrenaline spillover was estimated in anaesthetized rats. 3H-noradrenaline was infused and whole body noradrenaline spillover was calculated. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was then infused to determine changes in sympathetic arousal in response to acute hypotension. In addition, renal noradrenaline content was determined during development (E20) and in postnatal animals at 21 days and 1 year as a proxy measure of sympathetic nerve development and long-term sympathetic nerve activity respectively. RESULTS & DISCUSSION Maternal high fat feeding resulted in hyperlipidaemia, and this was reflected in amniotic fluid lipid content, with significant increases in amniotic fluid triglyceride concentrations in late gestation. In contrast to our hypothesis, fetal renal development did not differ between C and HF exposed embryos, however minor changes were observed in placental growth and transporter expression. These placental modifications do not fully explain the significant increases in amniotic fluid lipid content in late gestation. Further investigation indicated that increased fetal hepatic lipogenic gene expression was not a mechanism involved with increased triglyceride concentration in amniotic fluid.To further characterise our phenotype, development of offspring was followed into the postnatal period. We found that maternal high fat feeding was associated with significantly increased blood pressure in both male and female offspring at 12 months. In addition, sexually dimorphic renal dysfunction was evident in offspring of fat fed dams at 12 months of age. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to analyse renal function in a model of maternal high fat feeding, using gold standard techniques. Again, in contrast to our hypothesis, investigation into sympathetic nervous system revealed there was no difference in sympathetic activity between experimental groups, and that this was not a mechanism contributing to the renal and cardiovascular dysfunction in offspring exposed to in utero HF conditions. As such, it appears that other factors are driving the physiological dysfunction in this model. We hypothesise that vascular function may be impaired in HF exposed offspring and that this may be the major mechanisms driving the observed renal and cardiovascular dysfunction. CONCLUSION The findings from this thesis clearly demonstrate that even modest increases in saturated fat intake can alter the in utero environment, and the consequences of these early life modifications are seen in postnatal life, with significant renal and cardiovascular dysfunction. Importantly, this model of high fat feeding is not dissimilar to what many women are consuming during pregnancy - that is, the consumption of high saturated fats without apparent obesity. From an obstetrics perspective, it is clear that there is more to the picture than factors such as maternal obesity, and that dietary levels of saturated fatty acids should also be monitored. Whilst it appears that maternal obesity leads to a more severe phenotype in models of programming, high saturated fat intake during pregnancy cannot be ignored, and increased intake of this fatty acid has long term detrimental effects on the fetus.As we move to an increasing burden of chronic diseases, such as kidney and cardiovascular disease, it is vitally important to understand the impact of the early life environment on health and disease in later life. Furthermore, an understanding of the mechanism contributing to perturbed tissue and organ development may aid early intervention and as such disease prevention in later life. Controlling saturated fat intake during pregnancy may be a small but significant step in reducing the risk of developing adulthood diseases in later life.Finally, from a clinical perspective, the dietary model used in this project is not dissimilar to what many pregnant women in developed nations would be consuming. It highlights an important concept that women who consume a high fat diet during pregnancy, but do not develop obesity, are still placing the developing fetus at risk. Furthermore, it highlights that early intervention may be clinically important in potentially reducing the prevalence of adult chronic diseases.

Download or read book Parental Obesity Intergenerational Programming and Consequences written by Lucy R. Green and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, leading figures in the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease provide up-to-date information from human clinical trials, cohorts, and animal physiology experiments to reveal the interdependence between parental obesity and health of the offspring. Obesity of the mother and father produces obesity in their offspring, so we are caught up in an intergenerational cycle, which means that even our children’s future health is in peril. This book gives a timely and much-needed synthesis of the mechanisms, potential targets of future interventions, and the challenges that need to be overcome in order to break the intergenerational cycle of obesity. This has profound implications for the way in which scientific, clinical and health policy activities are to be directed in order to combat the so-called epidemic of obesity, as well as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The book will be of interest to students, clinicians, researchers and health policy makers who are either seeking an introduction to the area of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease or have a specific interest in the pathogenesis of obesity.

Download or read book Diet Nutrition and Fetal Programming written by Rajkumar Rajendram and published by Humana Press. This book was released on 2017-10-13 with total page 627 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers the most comprehensive coverage on fetal programming. Chapters are written by authors of international and national standing, leaders in the field and trendsetters. The clinical relevance of the current research is emphasized in each chapter, which also contains key points, key words, and concise summaries for ease of learning. Fetal programming affects conditions in the immediate postnatal period, as well as in later life and adulthood. These conditions include cardiovascular disease, frank hypertension, stroke, dyslipidemia, coagulopathy, increased insulin resistance-metabolic syndrome, type-2 diabetes, leukemia, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, precocious puberty, impaired immune function, renal disease, lung disease, and osteoporosis. Neuropathologies, behavioral and mental deficiencies, schizophrenia, and depression have also been reported in adults who were exposed to nutritional inadequacies in utero. Diet, Nutrition and Fetal Programming provides an overview on the effects of fetal programming on disease, and comprehensive looks at maternal nutrition factors and fetal programming effects on brain and behavior, and physiology and disease. It also provides an in depth look at specific nutrient restrictions and supplements on physiology and disease, the effects of maternal disease on fetal programming, mechanisms of programming, and a special section on the international aspects and policies on fetal programming.

Download or read book A Murine Model of Developmental Programming of Metabolic Syndrome by Maternal Obesity written by Phillippa Anne Matthews and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 788 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction An adverse environment during embryonic, fetal or early postnatal life is now known to influence the development of cardiovascular disease, together with related disorders, such as type-II diabetes in adulthood. This has become known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. One such adverse environment is maternal obesity, which has become more prevalent over recent decades, in line with the worldwide obesity 'epidemic' in the general population. Aim The aim of this thesis was to develop a novel, murine model of maternal diet-induced obesity and to use this to examine effects of maternal obesity on offspring cardiovascular and metabolic function in C57BL/6J mice. The same model in the apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE~7~) mouse, which is genetically predisposed to atherosclerosis was used to examine the development of offspring atherosclerosis. Methods Maternal obesity was induced by feeding a highly palatable diet high in fat and simple sugars. Offspring cardiovascular function was examined using radiotelemetry and small vessel myography. Glucose tolerance was assessed using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Atherosclerosis was examined by histology and magnetic resonance imaging. Results Exposure to maternal diet-induced obesity during gestation and suckling produced a hyperphagic, metabolic syndrome-like phenotype in the offspring, characterised by obesity, hypertension and abnormal glucose and insulin homeostasis. A cross-fostering study to examine the relative contributions of the in utero and suckling periods to this phenotype revealed that cross-fostering itself produced profound effects on offspring cardiovascular and metabolic function.

Download or read book Obesity Before Birth written by Robert H Lustig and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-09-23 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume will explore the epidemiology and the basic mechanisms of each of these prenatal phenomena, in an attempt to explain the role of the prenatal environment in promoting postnatal weight gain. This information will contribute to resolving the nature-nurture controversy. This information provides guidance to clinical practitioners involved in both prenatal and postnatal care. This volume further stimulates research into underlying mechanisms and prevention and treatment of this phenomenon.

Download or read book Developmental Origins of Health and Disease written by Peter Gluckman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-04-20 with total page 542 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This landmark publication provides the first definitive account of how and why subtle influences on the fetus and during early life can have such profound consequences for adult health and diseases. Although the epidemiological evidence for this link has long proved compelling, it is only much more recently that the scientific and physiological basis has begun to be studied in depth and fully understood. The compilation, written by many of the world's leading experts in this exciting field, summarizes these scientific and clinical advances.

Download or read book Perinatal Programming written by Deborah Hodgson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2005-12-20 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perinatal factors are critical in the 'programming' of behavioral, endocrine and immunologic outcomes of adult life. Exposure to many factors in utero can drive fetal development along specific trajectories. Perinatal factors can also affect many diverse systems that have significant implications for long-term health outcomes. The findings from basic research are so diverse and suggest implications in many different arenas. Bringing together these findings, this book explores the evidence linking the role of early life events to long-term physical and psychological health outcomes. It pulls the research together and communicates the findings to the wider scientific and clinical communities.

Download or read book Early Life Nutrition Altered Inflammatory Responsiveness and the Path to Programmed Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction written by Stephanie Anne Segovia and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Background: Obesity continues to be a global health concern. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that obesity and related metabolic disorders have developmental origins. Maternal obesity programs offspring to develop obesity and related cardiometabolic disorders in later life, which can perpetuate a transgenerational cycle. The surrounding mechanisms remain unclear, however low-grade metabolic inflammation has been implicated as a key underlying mechanism. Given the widespread consequences, identifying effective interventions to mitigate programmed metabolic dysfunction is of utmost importance. Aim: To investigate the mechanisms mediating the adverse metabolic outcomes in offspring as a consequence of maternal obesogenic nutrition, and to evaluate the impact of maternal supplementation with dietary agents reported to alter inflammatory processes. Methods: We utilised an established Sprague-Dawley rat model of maternal high fat feeding during pregnancy and lactation. In three separate studies, we investigated the effects of supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), fish oil and a high amount of dietary salt. CLA and fish oil were assessed because of their reported anti-inflammatory properties. Given the relevance of high salt consumption in Western-style diets, we also assessed the impact of a high salt diet, which can have pro-inflammatory effects. Offspring metabolic profiles, adipocyte morphology and gene expression were assessed. Results: Maternal CLA supplementation to a high fat diet had a range of beneficial effects in mothers and offspring, including normalising fetal weight, pre-weaning growth trajectory, adult male offspring adiposity, insulin sensitivity and adipocyte morphology. Maternal fish oil administration to a high fat diet reduced fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity, but increased inflammatory gene expression in adult male offspring. Adult male offspring from mothers consuming a high fat and high salt diet had reduced body weight, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced gut inflammatory gene expression compared to offspring from mothers who consumed a high fat diet. Conclusions: Our studies provide further insight into the mechanisms linking altered maternal nutrition and offspring metabolic outcomes. CLA may be a promising intervention to minimise high fat diet-induced developmental programming, however fish oil and high salt diets have unanticipated effects which warrant further investigation. Our studies highlight the importance of trialling potential interventions in different maternal nutritional conditions and evaluating multiple tissues and both sexes in offspring.

Download or read book Handbook of Nutrition Diet and Epigenetics written by Vinood B. Patel and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-02-27 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This multivolume reference work addresses the fact that the well being of humankind is predicated not only on individuals receiving adequate nutrition but also on their genetic makeup. The work includes more than 100 chapters organized in the following major sections: Introduction and Overview; Epigenetics of Organs and Diseases in Relation to Diet and Nutrition; Detailed Processes in Epigenetics of Diet and Nutrition; Modulating Epigenetics with Diet and Nutrition; and Practical Techniques. While it is well known that genes may encode proteins responsible for structural and dynamic components, there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that nutrition itself may alter the way in which genes are expressed via the process of epigenetics. This is where chemically imposed alteration in the DNA sequence occurs or where the functional expression of DNA is modulated. This may include changes in DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, chromatin, histone acetylation or methylation, and genomic imprinting. Knowledge regarding the number of dietary components that impact on epigenetic processes is increasing almost daily. Marshalling all the information on the complex relationships between diet, nutrition, and epigenetic processes is somewhat difficult due to the wide myriad of material. It is for this reason that the present work has been compiled.

Download or read book Epigenetics written by Joel D. Wallach and published by SelectBooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2014-05 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WHAT IS EPIGENETICS? Epigenetics is an emerging field of science that studies alterations in gene expression caused by factors other than changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetics: The Death of the Genetic Theory of Disease Transmission is the result of decades of research and its findings that could be as critical to our understanding of human health as Pasteur’s research in bacteriology. Dr. Joel “Doc” Wallach has dedicated his life work to identifying connections between certain nutritional deficiencies and a range of maladies, formerly thought to be hereditary, including Cystic Fibrosis and Muscular Dystrophy. This nexus between nutrition and so-called genetic disease has been observed in both humans and primates, and it is the central theme of Epigenetics. To bring us Epigenetics, Wallach has teamed with noted scholars Dr. Ma Lan and Dr. Gerhard N. Schrauzer. Their collective expertise gives this book its far reaching perspective. Epigenetics is of vital importance to anyone who wants real knowledge about how the human body functions, and it provides a path for better health. Epigentics dispels the dogma and misinformation propagated by medical institutions and doctors resistant to change. Epigenetics is the beginning of a new era of well-being on this planet.

Download or read book Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease written by Todd Leff and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-03-19 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely and most comprehensive reference available on the topic covers all the different aspects vital in the fight against the global obesity epidemic. Following a look at adipose tissue development and morphology, the authors go on to examine its metabolic and endocrine functions and its role in disease. The final section deals with comparative and evolutionary aspects of the tissue. The result is an essential resource for cell and molecular biologists, physiologists, biochemists, pharmacologists, and those working in the pharmaceutical industry.

Download or read book The Baboon in Biomedical Research written by John L. VandeBerg and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-06-04 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nonhuman primates have played critical roles in biomedical research, and they are among the few animals whose use in research continues to increase. The scienti?c value of nonhuman primates derives from their close phylogenetic proximity to man and their consequent anatomic, physiologic, and genetic similarities to man. Only nonhuman primates can provide adequate models for many complex physiological and disease processes of humans. The baboon is a relative newcomer to the repertoire of nonhuman primates used in biomedical research. However, in less than 50 years since its ?rst use in the U. S. , it has become one of the most popular laboratory primate species. It is larger than the other widely used monkey species, making it advantageous for many types of experiments and technological developments. It is extraordinarily hardy and highly fecund in captivity. It closely resembles humans in a variety of physiological and disease processes, such as cholesterol metabolism, early stages of atherosclerosis, and alcoholic liver disease. Its chromosomes closely resemble those of humans, and many genes of the two species lie in the same chromosomal order. Among all primates, baboons are the most widely used models for the genetics of susceptibility to complex diseases and they are the ?rst nonhuman primate for which a framework genetic linkage map was established. In addition, the baboon genome is currently being sequenced, and as a result the utility of this species for biomedical research will be dramatically increased.

Download or read book Handbook of Life Course Health Development written by Neal Halfon and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-11-20 with total page 667 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. ​This handbook synthesizes and analyzes the growing knowledge base on life course health development (LCHD) from the prenatal period through emerging adulthood, with implications for clinical practice and public health. It presents LCHD as an innovative field with a sound theoretical framework for understanding wellness and disease from a lifespan perspective, replacing previous medical, biopsychosocial, and early genomic models of health. Interdisciplinary chapters discuss major health concerns (diabetes, obesity), important less-studied conditions (hearing, kidney health), and large-scale issues (nutrition, adversity) from a lifespan viewpoint. In addition, chapters address methodological approaches and challenges by analyzing existing measures, studies, and surveys. The book concludes with the editors’ research agenda that proposes priorities for future LCHD research and its application to health care practice and health policy. Topics featured in the Handbook include: The prenatal period and its effect on child obesity and metabolic outcomes. Pregnancy complications and their effect on women’s cardiovascular health. A multi-level approach for obesity prevention in children. Application of the LCHD framework to autism spectrum disorder. Socioeconomic disadvantage and its influence on health development across the lifespan. The importance of nutrition to optimal health development across the lifespan. The Handbook of Life Course Health Development is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals, and graduate students in developmental psychology/science; maternal and child health; social work; health economics; educational policy and politics; and medical law as well as many interrelated subdisciplines in psychology, medicine, public health, mental health, education, social welfare, economics, sociology, and law.

Download or read book Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-06-16 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since 1944, the National Research Council (NRC) has published seven editions of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. This reference has guided nutritionists and other professionals in academia and the cattle and feed industries in developing and implementing nutritional and feeding programs for beef cattle. The cattle industry has undergone considerable changes since the seventh revised edition was published in 2000 and some of the requirements and recommendations set forth at that time are no longer relevant or appropriate. The eighth revised edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle builds on the previous editions. A great deal of new research has been published during the past 14 years and there is a large amount of new information for many nutrients. In addition to a thorough and current evaluation of the literature on the energy and nutrient requirements of beef in all stages of life, this volume includes new information about phosphorus and sulfur contents; a review of nutritional and feeding strategies to minimize nutrient losses in manure and reduce greenhouse gas production; a discussion of the effect of feeding on the nutritional quality and food safety of beef; new information about nutrient metabolism and utilization; new information on feed additives that alter rumen metabolism and postabsorptive metabolism; and future areas of needed research. The tables of feed ingredient composition are significantly updated. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle represents a comprehensive review of the most recent information available on beef cattle nutrition and ingredient composition that will allow efficient, profitable, and environmentally conscious beef production.

Download or read book Maternal Fetal Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation written by Michael E. Symonds and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-28 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the aim to improve clinicians' understanding of the important effects nutrition can have on maternal health and fetal and neonatal development, Maternal-Fetal Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation defines the nutritional requirements with regard to the stage of development and growth, placing scientific developments into clinical context.

Download or read book Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health written by Matilda van den Bosch and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-01-05 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human beings have always been affected by their surroundings. There are various health benefits linked to being able to access to nature; including increased physical activity, stress recovery, and the stimulation of child cognitive development. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health provides a broad and inclusive picture of the relationship between our own health and the natural environment. All aspects of this unique relationship are covered, ranging from disease prevention through physical activity in green spaces to innovative ecosystem services, such as climate change adaptation by urban trees. Potential hazardous consequences are also discussed including natural disasters, vector-borne pathogens, and allergies. This book analyses the complexity of our human interaction with nature and includes sections for example epigenetics, stress physiology, and impact assessments. These topics are all interconnected and fundamental for reaching a full understanding of the role of nature in public health and wellbeing. Much of the recent literature on environmental health has primarily described potential threats from our natural surroundings. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health instead focuses on how nature can positively impact our health and wellbeing, and how much we risk losing by destroying it. The all-inclusive approach provides a comprehensive and complete coverage of the role of nature in public health, making this textbook invaluable reading for health professionals, students, and researchers within public health, environmental health, and complementary medicine.

Download or read book The Role of Pregnancy Nutrition in Maternal and Offspring Health written by Ekaterina Maslova and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2019-12-03 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In pregnancy, maternal nutrition sustains and nourishes the developing child. Imbalances in either the direction of nutritional excess or deficiency can have adverse consequences for child health. In addition, more research now suggests that good pregnancy nutrition influences child health beyond pregnancy and delivery. This includes modifying the risk of child health outcomes as they enter childhood and adulthood through influences on placental development, hormonal pathways, and organ structure and function. Poor pregnancy nutrition may also compromise maternal health during pregnancy, which may have long-term consequences for women’s health. Understanding the biological and social mechanisms operating during pregnancy can help in the design of better clinical and public health interventions. This Special Issue on “The Role of Pregnancy Nutrition in Maternal and Offspring Health” includes etiological and mechanistic studies of pregnancy nutrition with short- and long-term maternal and child health outcomes, including original research, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Together, this body of work provides important insights into the influence of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients on pregnancy outcomes, and long-term neurodevelopmental, respiratory, and metabolic health in the children. It also highlights nutritional consequences for specific groups of women, including those with pregnancy complications and eating disorders.