CONSUMO ALIMENTAR E SUPLEMENTAÇÃO NA GESTAÇÃO: IMPACTOS NA SAÚDE INFANTIL SOB A ÓTICA DA EPIGENÉTICA

Abstract

Pregnancy is a period marked by specific demands. Adequate nutritional intake is crucial for ensuring the satisfactory growth and development of the fetus. The conditions of the early stages of life influence the predisposition to disadvantages and chronic health conditions in adulthood. The field of science that studies these phenomena is called "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease" (DOHaD). Epigenetics is its theoretical foundation, referring to changes in gene expression that are not related to alterations in the DNA sequence, but are persistent through cell division and environmentally influenced. The present review brings together updated studies on the effects of maternal diet and supplementation on the short and long-term health of their offspring. The PubMed, Science Direct, and Virtual Health Library data bases were used to search for original scientific articles. The results showed that there is still a scarcity of studies proposing specific interventions for clinical practice. A nutritionally balanced dietary pattern and control of gestational weight gain remain recommendations with more solid evidence.