Pregnant Adolescent and Adult Women have Similarly Low intakes of Selected Nutrients

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Abstract

Objective To examine the dietary intake of pregnant adolescents during the second and third trimester of pregnancy, and to compare their nutrient intake with that of pregnant adults.

Design Two 7-day food records (14 days) from subjects participating in a larger randomized clinical calcium trial: the first at 19 to 21 weeks and the second between 29 and 31 weeks gestation. Intake of energy and selected nutrients were calculated and compared with dietary standards.

Subjects/setting Fifty-nine pregnant adolescents and 97 pregnant adults recruited from prenatal clinics at a metropolitan university hospital.

Statistical analyses Two sample t tests, equality of variances, and repeated measures (analysis of variance).

Results There was no difference in mean nutrient intakes between the second and third trimesters. Using two 7-day food records, we found mean intakes for energy, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins D and E to be below recommended standards in both groups. Other nutrients examined met or exceeded reference values. Total daily intakes for energy and 11 nutrients were significantly higher in the adolescent compared to the adult diets (P<.05). These differences were not evident when nutrient values were corrected for energy, indicating that increased energy intake in the teen-aged population was contributed by nutrient-dense foods.

Applications This study indicates the need for continued dietary monitoring of pregnant adolescents and pregnant adults, including nutrition guidance that stresses food sources of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, fiber, folate, and vitamins D and E, the nutrients found deficient in their diets. JAm Diet Assoc. 2000;100:1334-1340.

Section snippets

Subjects

Subjects were participants in a larger randomized, double-blind clinical trial designed to study if the calcium intake recommended during pregnancy is sufficient to provide for the calcium requirements of adolescent pregnancy. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Children's Hospital Medical Center. Pregnant subjects were recruited from the prenatal clinics at The University Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, and classified

Results

Of the 97 adolescents and 115 adults enrolled in the larger calcium trial, 59 (61%) adolescents and 97 (84%) adults were included in our sample. Thirty-two (33%) adolescents and 17 (15%) adults were excluded because they had not reached the time in their pregnancy for the second food record. The rate of return for food records was 86% in the teen population and 89% in the adult population. A total of 7 food records were excluded because of incomplete data (6 adolescents, 1 adult).

Discussion

This study examined the dietary intake of pregnant adolescents at specific time points during the second and third trimester of pregnancy, using 7-day food records, a tool found to have increased sensitivity to variations in nutrient intake patterns (15), (16). We also compared the nutrient intake of a pregnant adolescent sample with that of pregnant adults. There were no differences in mean energy and nutrient values between the second and third trimester within our sample. This allowed us to

Applications

■ Low nutrient intakes exist in the diets of the pregnant adults and pregnant adolescents, indicating a continued need to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women and to implement guidance that focuses on food sources of the nutrients found to be limited in their diets, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, fiber, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Incorporating more dairy products, whole grains, fortified cereals, fruits, and vegetables into meals and snacks would improve the dietary

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