Casas, IreneNakaki, AyakoPascal Capdevila, RosaliaCastro-Barquero, SaraYoussef, LinaGenero, MarionaBenitez, LeticiaLarroya, MartaBoutet, María LauraCasu, GiuliaGomez Gomez, AlexPozo, Oscar J.Morilla, IvetteMartínez-Arán, Anabel, 1971-Vieta i Pascual, Eduard, 1963-Gómez Roig, Ma. DoloresCasas Rodríguez, Rosa M.Estruch Riba, RamonGratacós Freixas, EduardoCrispi Brillas, FàtimaCrovetto, Francesca2024-01-172024-01-172023-05-182072-6643https://hdl.handle.net/2445/205853Stress and anxiety are frequent occurrences among pregnant women. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a Mediterranean diet intervention during pregnancy on maternal stress, well-being, and sleep quality throughout gestation. In a randomized clinical trial, 1221 high-risk pregnant women were randomly allocated into three groups at 19-23 weeks' gestation: a Mediterranean diet intervention, a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, or usual care. All women who provided self-reported life-style questionnaires to measure their anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)), well-being (WHO Five Well Being Index (WHO-5)), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI)) at enrollment and at the end of the intervention (34-36 weeks) were included. In a random subgroup of 106 women, the levels of cortisol and related metabolites were also measured. At the end of the intervention (34-36 weeks), participants in the Mediterranean diet group had significantly lower perceived stress and anxiety scores (PSS mean (SE) 15.9 (0.4) vs. 17.0 (0.4), p = 0.035; STAI-anxiety mean (SE) 13.6 (0.4) vs. 15.8 (0.5), p = 0.004) and better sleep quality (PSQI mean 7.0 ± 0.2 SE vs. 7.9 ± 0.2 SE, p = 0.001) compared to usual care. As compared to usual care, women in the Mediterranean diet group also had a more significant increase in their 24 h urinary cortisone/cortisol ratio during gestation (mean 1.7 ± SE 0.1 vs. 1.3 ± SE 0.1, p < 0.001). A Mediterranean diet intervention during pregnancy is associated with a significant reduction in maternal anxiety and stress, and improvements in sleep quality throughout gestation. Keywords: Mediterranean diet; pregnancy; anxiety; well-being; sleep quality13 p.application/pdfengcc-by (c) Casas I et al., 2023http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cuina mediterràniaEstrès (Psicologia)EmbaràsMediterranean cookingStress (Psychology)Pregnancyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article7348652024-01-17info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess