Te Kukunetanga: Vegetable and Fruit Intake During Pregnancy

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aut.relation.journalNew Zealand College of Midwives Journal
aut.relation.volume60
dc.contributor.authorWyatt, Hannah
dc.contributor.authorHuang, William
dc.contributor.authorRush, Elaine
dc.contributor.authorHume, Patria
dc.contributor.authorWaller, Nimisha
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-16T03:48:28Z
dc.date.available2024-07-16T03:48:28Z
dc.date.issued2024-12-31
dc.description.abstractBackground: Carotenoids, found in vegetables and fruits, act as antioxidants and are a source of vitamin A. Carotenoids may play an important role in maternal and fetal health (e.g., eye health and brain development) and the prevention of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, small for gestational age babies and/or intrauterine growth restriction. No studies have examined relationships among carotenoid concentrations, intake of vegetables and fruit, and weeks of gestation. Understanding of the stability of carotenoid concentrations across gestation, despite increasing demands placed on the body (e.g., increase in metabolic demands, body mass and volume), may help inform specific guidelines for vegetable and fruit intake during pregnancy. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationships of vegetable and fruit intake, body mass, volume, density and gestation with the carotenoid reflection score. Method: Carotenoid concentration in the fat of women throughout their pregnancy was assessed using a non-invasive Veggie Meter™ device which measures carotenoid reflection spectroscopy from the fingertip. Gestation and vegetable and fruit intake were self-reported. Body mass and body volume were measured via a 3D body scanner and force plate. Correlations between baseline visit measures, differences between visit I and II and repeated measures correlations (up to four visits) were analysed for all measures. Findings: Only nine of the 35 women (25.7%) in this study met the guideline of 7+ a day for vegetable and fruit intake. Carotenoid reflective scores tended to be lower for those with greater body mass (r = -0.48, 95% CI = -0.70, -0.18; p &lt; 0.001) and volume (r = -0.50, 95% CI = -0.71, -0.20; p &lt; 0.001). Although women increased their vegetable and fruit intake with increased gestation (rrm = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.83; p = 0.01), their carotenoid reflective score did not increase (rrm = -0.29, 95% CI = -0.66, 0.19; p = 0.22). Conclusion: Supporting previous recommendations for the general population that vegetable and fruit intake should increase relative to body size, the current study findings suggest it may be advisable for women to progressively consume more vegetables and fruit to align with increases in body mass throughout pregnancy.</jats:p>
dc.identifier.citationNew Zealand College of Midwives Journal, ISSN: 1178-3893 (Online), New Zealand College of Midwives, 60. doi: 10.12784/nzcomjnl.246003
dc.identifier.doi10.12784/nzcomjnl.246003
dc.identifier.issn1178-3893
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10292/17792
dc.publisherNew Zealand College of Midwives
dc.relation.urihttps://www.midwife.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-Article-3-Te-Kukunetanga.pdf
dc.rights© 2024 New Zealand College of Midwives. The Journal is double-blind peer reviewed and uses electronic, article-based publishing to provide open access to all papers as they are published.
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccess
dc.subject1110 Nursing
dc.subject1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
dc.subject4204 Midwifery
dc.titleTe Kukunetanga: Vegetable and Fruit Intake During Pregnancy
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id558659
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