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

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 (approximately 3600 g) when carbohydrate %TE was 48%, fat 35% and protein 17%. Birthweight was reduced with high beta-carotene intakes (mth4, P=0.009) and with both high retinol and beta-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 B(12) 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 beta-carotene, retinol, vitamins D and B(12), pantothenic acid, biotin and magnesium intakes and iron supplementation. More research may be required on some dietary recommendations for pregnancy.

Seasonal variation of nutrient intake in pregnancy: effects on infant measures and possible influence on diseases related to season of birth.

OBJECTIVES: To determine, firstly, if there was any seasonal effect on nutrient intake during pregnancy and birth measures, secondly, if there was any relationship between maternal nutrient intake and infant birth measures according to season and thirdly, to consider the hypothesis that seasonal change in nutrient intake during pregnancy might affect health in later life of some women's offspring. DESIGN: Pilot study to determine number of days required to characterize group intake followed by a prospective cohort study. SETTING: Patients attending a city ante-natal clinic in the lower North Island, New Zealand. SUBJECTS: A total of 214 healthy mostly European pregnant women volunteers, entering the second trimester of pregnancy, of whom 10 miscarried and seven withdrew. METHODS: Subjects were visited in months 4 and 7 of pregnancy, and months 2, 6 and 12 after birth. Height, weight and skinfolds were measured and questionnaires to determine personal details administered at these times. Subjects recorded 8 days of weighed diets in both the fourth and seventh month. Health records were used to supply infant measures. RESULTS: Significant (P

Blood alcohol levels in urban adolescents.

Information on alcohol use was collected during a survey of dietary intake and energy expenditure of fifteen year olds. Drinking habits of children from solo parent families were little different from those in two parent families. Thirty-two percent of the girls and 26% of the boys said they never drank. Mothers of non-drinkers were twice as likely to be full-time homemakers than mothers of drinkers. Blood alcohol levels were calculated from reported alcohol consumption. While most subjects drank sensibly, a group did not. Most weekends 7% of all girls and 22% of all boys drank sufficient liquor to give them blood alcohol levels over the legal limit. Boys in this group had a mean energy intake and expenditure 30% higher than the rest.

Common groin eruptions: diagnosis and treatment.

Most common groin lesions are caused by fungi, bacteria, psychogenic factors, viruses, parasites, or tumors. The workup of all patients with an inguinal skin disorder should include a history, physical examination, microscopic examination and culture of scrapings from the eruption, and examination of the eruption by Wood's light. Agents useful in treating groin lesions include topical and systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics, antipruritic agents, Burow's solution, and lindane. Prolonged use of high-potency topical corticosteroids can be deleterious.

Total body water volumes for adult males and females estimated from simple anthropometric measurements.

Individual total body water volumes for 458 adult males and 265 adult females obtained from dilution studies, together with their height, weight, and age have been selected from the literature. These values were used to derive total body water prediction equations for adults of any age. The equations that gave the best fit were for males: formula (see text) and for females: formula (see text). Numerous other linear regression equations to predict total body water from anthropometric measurements have been reported in the literature. Most apply only to restricted age groups. These, and the equations from the present study were tested on completely independent data. In all cases the equations from the present study gave the best overall results, though for women one equation designed for a specific age group, gave for that age group a marginally better fit.