Journal Article

Impact of dietary counselling on nutrient intake during pregnancy: a prospective cohort study

Piirainen, T., Lagström, H., Isolauri, E., Laitinen, K.

2006

Overview

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of dietary counselling combined with the provision of food products on food and nutrient intake in pregnant women. We carried out a prospective cohort study of healthy and atopic pregnant women (n 209), who were randomized into dietary intervention and control groups. The intervention group received dietary counselling and food products to modify the fat composition of their diet to meet current recommendations. Three-day food records were collected during each trimester of pregnancy. Women in the intervention group consumed more vegetables, fruits, soft margarines and vegetable oils and less butter than those in the control group during the course of pregnancy (P < 0·05). The main distinction between the groups in nutrient intake over the pregnancy was attributable to a higher energy intake (% energy) of PUFA by 0·5 %energy (95 % CI 0·1, 0·8) and to a lower intake of SFA by 0·8 % energy (95 % CI − 1·4, − 0·4) in the intervention group. Dietary intake of vitamin E was 1·4 mg (95 % CI 0·6, 2·2), folate 20·9 μg (95 % CI 0·8, 41·0) and ascorbic acid 19·8 mg (95 % CI 3·5, 36·0) higher in the intervention group compared to the controls, while no differences in other nutrients were detected. Dietary counselling combined with the provision of food products during pregnancy is of importance in modifying food and nutrient intake, with potential health benefits.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Adult / ascorbic acid / Atopic disease / Biological and medical sciences / butter / Counseling / Counseling - methods / Diet / Diet Records / Dietary counselling / dietary fat / dietary recommendations / Dietary Supplements / dietetic education / Dietetics / Dietetics - methods / Double-Blind Method / Energy Intake / Fat / Feeding. Feeding behavior / Female / folic acid / Food / Food consumption / food intake / foods / fruits (food) / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Humans / hypersensitivity / maternal nutrition / Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / methods / Nutrient intake / nutrition education / physiology / polyunsaturated fatty acids / Pregnancy / Pregnancy - physiology / Pregnancy Outcome / pregnant women / Prospective Studies / saturated fatty acids / vegetable oil / vegetables / Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems / vitamin E