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Use of dietary supplements in pregnant women in relation to sociodemographic factors – a report from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2013

Carin Andrén Aronsson*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, CRC, Bldg. 60:11, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, SE 20502 Malmö, Sweden
Kendra Vehik
Affiliation:
Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Jimin Yang
Affiliation:
Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Ulla Uusitalo
Affiliation:
Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Kristen Hay
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
Gesa Joslowski
Affiliation:
Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund, Germany
Anne Riikonen
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Nutrition Unit, Helsinki, Finland
Lori Ballard
Affiliation:
Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Suvi M Virtanen
Affiliation:
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Nutrition Unit, Helsinki, Finland Science Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
Jill M Norris
Affiliation:
Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email carin.andren_aronsson@med.lu.se
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Abstract

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and associated factors of dietary supplement use, particularly supplements containing vitamin D and fatty acids, in pregnant women enrolled in a multi-national study.

Design

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study is a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Maternal dietary supplement use was self-reported through questionnaires at month 3 to 4 postpartum.

Setting

Six clinical research centres; three in the USA (Colorado, Georgia/Florida and Washington) and three in Europe (Sweden, Finland and Germany).

Subjects

Mothers (n 7326) to infants screened for high-risk HLA-DQ genotypes of type 1 diabetes.

Results

Ninety-two per cent of the 7326 women used one or more types of supplement during pregnancy. Vitamin D supplements were taken by 65 % of the women, with the highest proportion of users in the USA (80·5 %). Overall, 16 % of the women reported taking fatty acid supplements and a growing trend was seen in all countries between 2004 and 2010 (P < 0·0001). The use was more common in Germany (32 %) and the USA (24 %) compared with Finland (8·5 %) and Sweden (7·0 %). Being pregnant with the first child was a strong predictor for any supplement use in all countries. Low maternal age (<25 years), higher education, BMI ≥ 25·0 kg/m2 and smoking during pregnancy were factors associated with supplement use in some but not all countries.

Conclusions

The majority of the women used dietary supplements during pregnancy. The use was associated with sociodemographic and behavioural factors, such as parity, maternal age, education, BMI and maternal smoking.

Information

Type
HOT TOPIC – Nutrition in pregnancy
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 
Figure 0

Table 1 Cohort characteristics by country (n 7326): The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 1

Table 2 Distribution and description of non-users and any supplement users, by respondent characteristics: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 2

Table 3 Adjusted sociodemographic predictors for any dietary supplement use during pregnancy, by country: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 3

Table 4 Adjusted sociodemographic predictors for use of supplements containing vitamin D during pregnancy, by country: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 4

Table 5 Adjusted sociodemographic predictors for use of supplements containing fatty acids during pregnancy, by country: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 5

Fig. 1 Trends in reported intake of dietary supplements containing vitamin D ($$$$) and fatty acids ($$$$) during pregnancy between 2004 and 2010, by country: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 6

Table 6 Country-specific dietary supplement recommendations for pregnant women (TEDDY screening period 2004–2010)