Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Racial Disparities in Fetal Telomere Length. Article

Griffin, Isabel, Ibrahimou, Boubakari, Navejar, Natasha et al. (2020). Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Racial Disparities in Fetal Telomere Length. . 9(1), 14-21. 10.21106/ijma.290

cited authors

  • Griffin, Isabel; Ibrahimou, Boubakari; Navejar, Natasha; Aggarwal, Anjali; Myers, Kristopher; Mauck, Daniel; Yusuf, Korede K; Wudil, Usman J; Aliyu, Muktar H; Salihu, Hamisu M

abstract

  • Background and objectives

    The identification of risk factors for shorter telomere length, especially during fetal development, would be important towards caffeine consumption recommendations for pregnant women on a global scale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and fetal telomere length as well as racial/ethnic differences in telomere length regardless of maternal caffeine consumption status.

    Methods

    Caffeine intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Three generalized linear models (GLM) were compared based on binary categorical variables of caffeine levels using data mean value of 117.3 mg as cut-off; the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations of 300 mg; and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommendations of 200 mg. The association between caffeine consumption and telomere length (telomere to single-copy [T/S] ratio) was then assessed.

    Results

    Among 57 maternal-fetal dyads, 77.2% reported less than 200 mg of caffeine (ACOG) and 89.5% less than 300 mg (WHO). Both WHO and ACOG models found that caffeine intake was significantly and positively associated with longer telomere length (p<0.05); and sodium (p<0.05). Other" race (p<0.001) and "white" race (p<0.001) were also significantly and positively associated with longer telomere length in the same models. Increasing maternal age shortened telomere length significantly in all models (p<0.001).

    Conclusion and global health implications

    Caffeine intake, maternal age, and race may be associated with alterations in fetal telomere length. This indicates that caffeine consumption during pregnancy may have long-term implications for fetal development. The racial/ethnic differences in telomere length found in this study warrant larger studies to further confirm these associations.

publication date

  • January 1, 2020

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Medium

  • Print-Electronic

start page

  • 14

end page

  • 21

volume

  • 9

issue

  • 1