EFFECT OF HIGH-SUGAR INTAKE BY LOW-INCOME PREGNANT ADOLESCENTS ON INFANT BIRTH-WEIGHT

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of to tal sugar intake by pregnant adolescents from low-income families on i nfant birth weight and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Method s: The study sample consisted of 337 adolescents, enrolled in a county -wide demonstration project in Camden, New Jersey, who delivered live, singleton newborns. The adolescents were divided into two groups at t he 90th percentile for the study sample total sugar intake (206 g): hi gh-sugar intake (greater than or equal to 206 g, n = 34) and low-sugar intake group (<206 g, n = 303). Results: The sample was 46% black, 30 % white, and 24% Hispanic. The sample gestational age and birth weight (mean +/- SD) were 39 +/- 3 weeks and 3189 +/- 666 g, respectively. A fter adjusting for energy intake, the high- compared with the low-suga r intake group was more likely to consume higher total sugar and carbo hydrate but lower protein and fat. Likewise, the high-compared to the low-sugar intake group consumed significantly more calcium and magnesi um. After adjusting for possible confounding variables such as materna l age, ethnicity, marital status, parity, smoking, net weight gain, bo dy mass index, energy intake, and gestational age at birth, adolescent s on high- compared to low-sugar diets gave birth to infants weighing 215 +/- 104 g less (p = 0.04). The adjusted odds ratios were 3.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 10.23) for delivering a SGA infant among adolescents with high- compared with low-sugar intakes. Conclusions: Low-income adolescents consuming high-sugar diets are at increased ris k for delivering lower birth weight and SGA infants.