The importance of dietary patterns and appetite for the association between in utero exposure to malaria and fasting plasma glucose among adolescents in rural Ghana - Scorecard - MDSpire
Clinical Scorecard: The Role of Dietary Habits and Appetite in Linking In Utero Malaria Exposure to Fasting Plasma Glucose Levels in Adolescents from Rural Ghana
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
In utero malaria exposure
Key Mechanisms
In utero malaria exposure may influence appetite and dietary patterns, which could contribute to altered glucose metabolism in adolescence.
Target Population
Adolescents from rural Ghana participating in a birth cohort examining in utero malaria exposure.
Care Setting
Study conducted at Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Ashanti Region, Ghana.
Key Highlights
Adolescents exposed to malaria in utero had adjusted fasting plasma glucose levels 0.20 mmol/L higher than unexposed adolescents.
In utero malaria exposure was associated with increased appetite and greater adherence to a roots and tubers-based dietary pattern.
The roots and tubers-based dietary pattern was estimated to mediate 60% of the observed association between in utero malaria exposure and fasting plasma glucose.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
The study does not provide formal diagnostic guidelines. In utero malaria exposure was determined using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing of maternal blood collected at delivery.
Management
The study does not provide formal clinical management recommendations. In its public health implications, the authors identify malaria control during pregnancy and shaping healthy dietary practices during adolescence as potential prevention entry points.
Monitoring & Follow-up
The study does not establish a clinical monitoring schedule. At adolescent follow-up, investigators assessed fasting plasma glucose, body mass index, blood pressure, dietary intake, and appetite.
Risks
Malaria during pregnancy can impair placental function and reduce maternal-fetal nutrient transfer, contributing to fetal undernutrition. In this cohort, in utero malaria exposure was associated with higher fasting plasma glucose in adolescence.
Patient & Prescribing Data
The analysis included 155 adolescents from a rural Ghanaian birth cohort.
No prescribing recommendations or medication-specific data were evaluated in this study.
Clinical Best Practices
The study does not establish formal clinical best-practice recommendations.
The authors identify malaria control during pregnancy as a potential prevention entry point.
The authors also identify adolescence as another potential prevention period, including efforts to shape dietary practices for healthy living.
Related Resources & Content
Bedu-Addo G, Alicke M, Boakye-Appiah JK, et al. In utero exposure to malaria is associated with metabolic traits in adolescence: The Agogo 2000 birth cohort study. J Infect. 2017;75(5):455-463.
Utomo DAM, Andriolo V, Barnighausen T, Danquah I. Linking malaria in pregnancy with dietary behavior of the next generation. Brain Behav Immun. 2019;8(1):1-3.
Brabin BJ, Romagosa C, Abdelgalil S, et al. The sick placenta-the role of malaria. Placenta. 2004;25(5):359-378.
by Mahir Bhatt, Alice Rodriguez Rein, Justice K. Boakye-Appiah, Inusah Abdul-Jalil, Markus van der Giet, Yaw Ampem Amoako, Frank P. Mockenhaupt, Ina Danquah
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