Dietary intake in pregnancy. A comparison between 49 Cambridgeshire women and current recommended intake.

Abstract

The mean daily nutrient intakes from dietary sources of 49 pregnant women in the third trimester of normal pregnancy were assessed using a 7-day weighed inventory method and standard food tables. Mean daily intakes of all major nutrients reached DHSS recommended levels, with the exceptions of energy (2065 kcal/8.65 MJ), proportion of energy derived from carbohydrate (48 per cent), calcium (1047 mg), and vitamin D (2.58 micrograms). These results are in agreement with those of comparable published studies and lend support to suggestions that some of the increased requirements in pregnancy may be being met by physiological adaptation, without the need for greatly increased dietary intakes, or for indiscriminate vitamin and mineral supplementation. For seven women with low weight gain (less than 8 kg at 36 weeks; mean 6.97 kg), mean daily intakes of most nutrients were lower, and were below recommended levels for energy (1770 kcal/7.4 MJ), ascorbic acid (47.4 mg), vitamin D (2.18 micrograms), calcium (980 mg), and iron (10.5 mg). Proportional intakes of carbohydrate (50 per cent) and dietary fibre (20.1 g/day) however, tended to be higher in this group.