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Association of low intake of milk and vitamin D during pregnancy with decreased birth weight.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some pregnant women may be advised or choose to restrict milk consumption and may not take appropriate supplements. We hypothesized that maternal milk restriction during pregnancy, which can reduce intakes of protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin D, might represent a health risk by lowering infant birth weight.

Methods

We screened women between the ages of 19 and 45 years who were attending prenatal programs in Calgary, Alberta (51 degrees N) for low milk consumption (< or = 250 mL/d). Using repeat dietary recalls, we compared these women and their offspring with women whose daily milk consumption exceeded 250 mL (1 cup). Birth weight, length and head circumference were obtained from birth records.

Results

Women who consumed < or = 250 mL/d of milk (n = 72) gave birth to infants who weighed less than those born to women who consumed more (n = 207; 3410 g v. 3530 g, respectively; p = 0.07). Infant lengths and head circumferences were similar. Women who restricted milk intake had statistically significantly lower intakes of protein and vitamin D as well. In multivariate analyses controlled for previously established predictors of infant birth weight, milk consumption and vitamin D intake were both significant predictors of birth weight. Each additional cup of milk daily was associated with a 41 g increase in birth weight (95% confidence interval [CI] 14.0-75.1 g); each additional microgram of vitamin D, with an 11 g increase (95% CI 1.2-20.7 g). Neither protein, riboflavin nor calcium intake was found to predict birth weight.

Interpretation

Milk and vitamin D intakes during pregnancy are each associated with infant birth weight, independently of other risk factors.

SUBMITTER: Mannion CA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1435952 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundPrevious studies have yielded inconsistent results on the association between maternal dietary protein intake and birth weight. Moreover, little is known about the effects of dietary protein intake from different sources on fetal growth. This study aimed to investigate the associations of different dietary protein sources (total protein, animal protein, plant protein, and major dietary protein sources) during pregnancy with birth weight and the related adverse birth outcomes.Methods7310 women were recruited using a stratified multistage random sampling method at 0-12 months (median: 3; 10-90th percentile: 0-7) after delivery in Shaanxi, China. Maternal diets were gathered by a validated FFQ and other characteristics were collected by a standard questionnaire. Multilevel linear or logistic regression models were used to estimate birth weight changes or ORs (95% CIs) for adverse birth outcomes associated with different dietary protein sources during pregnancy.ResultsThe mean percentage of energy from total protein was 11.4% (SD 2.2), with only 27.4% of total protein derived from animal protein. Per 3% increase in energy from total protein, animal protein, and dairy protein was associated with birth weight increases of 19.4 g (95% CI 6.0-32.9), 20.6 g (4.8-36.5), and 18.2 g (4.7-31.7), respectively. Per 3% increase in energy from total protein, animal protein, and dairy protein was also associated with lower risks of low birth weight (LBW) (total protein: OR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.64-0.94; animal protein: 0.79, 0.65-0.96; dairy protein: 0.71, 0.56-0.91), small for gestational age (SGA) (total protein: 0.88, 0.79-0.98; animal protein: 0.87, 0.78-0.97; dairy protein: 0.81, 0.68-0.96), and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (total protein: 0.84, 0.72-0.98; animal protein: 0.86, 0.75-0.98; dairy protein: 0.78, 0.66-0.92). We observed no associations of plant protein and other major dietary protein sources with birth weight and the above birth outcomes. The results did not change when maternal protein was substituted for fat or carbohydrate.ConclusionsAmong Chinese pregnant women with low intake of protein, higher intake of dietary protein, in particular animal protein and dairy protein, is associated with higher birth weight and lower risks of LBW, SGA, and IUGR.