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The association of maternal diet and dietary supplement intake in pregnant New Zealand women with infant birthweight

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 64, pages 184–193 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate the association of infant birthweight with maternal diet and supplement intake.

Subjects/Methods:

Prospective cohort study of 504 European and Polynesian urban and rural pregnant volunteers recruited from northern New Zealand clinics. Subjects were visited in months 4 (mth4) and 7 (mth7) of pregnancy when height, weight and skinfolds were measured, questionnaires to determine personal details administered, and diet assessed by a 24-hour recall and 3-day food record.

Results:

After adjusting for confounders nutrients accounted for up to 5.0% of the total variance in birthweight. Ethnicity was not a significant confounder. A quadratic relationship existed between birthweight and % total energy (%TE) from carbohydrate, fat and protein, most significantly with carbohydrate energy (P=0.002). Birthweight was greatest (∼3600 g) when carbohydrate %TE was 48%, fat 35% and protein 17%. Birthweight was reduced with high β-carotene intakes (mth4, P=0.009) and with both high retinol and β-carotene intakes in mth4 and 7 (average). Birthweight was positively associated with increasing pantothenic acid/biotin ratios (P=0.011), magnesium (P=0.000) and vitamin D (P=0.015) intakes in mth4; with biotin (P=0.040) and B12 intakes above the RDI (P=0.006) in mth7; and with pantothenic acid intake in mth4&7 (P=0.002). Dietary supplement usage was associated with increased birthweight, most significantly iron supplementation (P=0.006).

Conclusion:

Birthweight was associated with the %TE from carbohydrate, fat and protein, and with β-carotene, retinol, vitamins D and B12, pantothenic acid, biotin and magnesium intakes and iron supplementation. More research may be required on some dietary recommendations for pregnancy.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the New Zealand Ministry of Health and Health Research Council for their financial support, Mrs Chris King the project manager, the data collectors, data entry and analysis teams, especially Mrs Judi Scheffer, and most of all the subjects who gave willingly of her time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Food Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Albany Campus,, Auckland, New Zealand

    P E Watson

  2. Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Albany Campus,, Auckland, New Zealand

    B W McDonald

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  1. P E Watson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to B W McDonald.

Additional information

Guarantors: PE Watson and BW McDonald.

Contributors: PEW designed the study, recruited the subjects, collected the data, analyzed the dietary data, and wrote the manuscript. BWM analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript.

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Watson, P., McDonald, B. The association of maternal diet and dietary supplement intake in pregnant New Zealand women with infant birthweight. Eur J Clin Nutr 64, 184–193 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2009.134

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