GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PEAS SAMPLES 2019

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION The purpose of the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study (PEAS) is to examine the role of food reward sensitivity in maternal diet and weight change during pregnancy and postpartum. The study examines the interplay of food reward sensitivity with behavioral control, home food environment, and related aspects of eating behavior in the context of weight-related biomedical, psychosocial, genetic and behavioral factors including physical activity, stress, sleep and depression. Women of varying weight were enrolled early in pregnancy and followed, along with their infants, until 1 year postpartum. Assessments occurred during each trimester of pregnancy, and postpartum at approximately 2 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. Maternal food reward sensitivity, self-control, home food environment, eating behaviors, dietary intake, health behaviors, and anthropometrics were assessed along with maternal and infant clinical and biological data, infant anthropometrics, and feeding practices. Primary exposures of interest included food reward sensitivity, behavioral control, and home food environment. Primary outcomes included gestational weight gain, postpartum weight retention and maternal diet quality. The past number of years has seen an increase in published research exploring neurological and genetic aspects of food reward sensitivity. Of interest are the numerous substantiated reports of polymorphisms that seem to contribute to variations in individual responses to hyperpalatable foods, for example. The PEAS study provides a unique opportunity to examine such questions in a large cohort with a wealth of related eating behavior measures, but also to explore new genetic variations that could contribute to such behavior. SCOPE This task order is to utilize the PEAS specimens to investigate the genetic polymorphisms related to taste and food reward sensitivity in the context of pregnancy and postpartum diet and weight change.