Studies have suggested that meal timing plays a role in nutritional health, but this subject has not been sufficiently studied in pregnant women. We analysed the effect that timing of food intake has on eating patterns, diet quality and weight gain in a prospective cohort study with 100 pregnant women. Data were collected once per trimester: 4th–12th, 20th–26th and 30th–37th weeks. Food intake was evaluated using three 24-h dietary recalls, which were used to assess eating patterns and diet quality. Distribution of energy and macronutrient intake throughout the day was considered eating patterns. Diet quality was assessed using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised. Weight gain was evaluated during each trimester. Women were classified as early or late timing of the first and last eating episodes if these values were below or above the median of the population, respectively (first eating episode = 08.38 hours; last eating episode = 20.20 hours). Generalised estimating equation models adjusted for confounders were used to determine the effects of timing of the first and last eating episodes (groups) and gestational trimesters (time) (independent variable) on eating patterns, diet quality and weight gain (dependent variables). Early eaters of the first eating episode have a higher percentage of energy and carbohydrate intake in morning and a lower at evening meals. They also have a better diet quality for fruit components when compared with late eaters of the first eating episode. Our results emphasise the importance of considering meal timing in the nutritional antenatal guidelines to promote maternal–fetal health.

中文翻译：

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食物摄入时间对怀孕期间饮食模式、饮食质量和体重增加的影响

研究表明，进餐时间在营养健康中起着重要作用，但该主题尚未在孕妇中得到充分研究。我们在一项针对 100 名孕妇的前瞻性队列研究中分析了食物摄入时间对饮食模式、饮食质量和体重增加的影响。每三个月收集一次数据：第 4-12 周、第 20-26 周和第 30-37 周。使用三个 24 小时膳食回忆评估食物摄入量，用于评估饮食模式和饮食质量。全天能量和常量营养素摄入的分布被认为是饮食模式。饮食质量使用修订的巴西健康饮食指数进行评估。在每个三个月期间评估体重增加。如果这些值分别低于或高于人口的中位数（第一次进食事件 = 08.38 小时；最后一次进食事件 = 20.20 小时），则将女性分类为第一次和最后一次进食事件的早期或晚期时间。针对混杂因素调整的广义估计方程模型用于确定第一次和最后一次进食发作（组）和妊娠期（时间）（自变量）的时间对饮食模式、饮食质量和体重增加（因变量）的影响。第一次进食的早食者在早上摄入的能量和碳水化合物的百分比较高，而在晚餐时摄入的比例较低。与第一次进食的晚食者相比，他们对水果成分的饮食质量也更好。