Dietary Guideline Adherence in Pregnancy Tied to Lower Exposure to Some Chemicals

TUESDAY, July 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Greater adherence to U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) is associated with minimized exposure to some toxicants during gestation, according to a study published online July 8 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Diana C. Pacyga, Ph.D., from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues examined whether higher DGA adherence is associated with gestational chemical exposures. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 total and individual component scores were calculated to assess DGA adherence. A total of 113 analytes representing 10 chemical classes were measured in spot urine samples collected at a median of 22 weeks of gestation.

Most of the 1,492 participants self-identified as non-Hispanic White or Black (40 and 36 percent, respectively). The researchers detected 53 analytes, which represented biomarkers of 45 chemical parent compounds, in more than 30 percent of the participants. There was an association seen for higher HEI-2015 scores with lower organophosphate esters, halogenated phenol, bisphenol, phthalate, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarker concentrations, most notably monobenzyl phthalate (β = −13.5 percent). There were also associations observed for higher HEI-2015 scores with higher insecticide, paraben, and benzophenone biomarker concentrations, most notably benzophenone-3 (β = 16.2 percent). Consistent predictors of lower or higher chemical biomarker concentrations included lower added sugar and higher protein, vegetable, fruit, and whole-grain intake.

“What we discovered is that following the U.S. Dietary Guidelines may have two benefits — helping meet pregnancy nutrient needs and offering a way to reduce exposure to many common industrial chemicals,” Pacyga said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text