The importance of nutrition from conception

An Australian study on the Relationship between Low Birth Weight and Disorders of Glucose Regulation has drawn a link between low birth weight and diabetes risk in adulthood, supporting the hypothesis that prenatal care has implications for long term adult health. The results were stronger in women, even after adjustment for other risk factors. The study was population-based with over 11,000 participants. Results have just been published in Diabetes Care (2008;31:159-164).

Low Vitamin B12 in Pregnancy is linked to insulin resistance in offspring and higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, according to the results of an Indian study published in Diabetologia (2008; 51:29-38). This study concludes that we need to pay greater attention to the importance of vitamin B12 in pregnancy.

Fetal growth and epilepsy risk are linked in another recent article in the Am J Epidemiol 2008;167:262-270

I have blogged before about the importance of pregnancy nutrition and the work being done in the UK on Barker's hypothesis linking foetal malnutrition and mortality and morbidity in adulthood.

Over time I hope to build up a picture of the ideal supplementation program for pregnant women to ensure our precious babies have the best start to life and will be keeping an eye out for studies which support these issues. Much has been said over the years about Folate supplementation, but the areas I am interested in gathering further evidence on include:

• mineral supplementation
• EFA's
• multivitamin support
• hormone balancing

I heard a fascinating talk on the weekend by one of Australia's leading Microbiologists, John Ellerman and many of the things he said relate to these issues. More soon!