Morning sickness and salt intake, food cravings, and food aversions

Evidence for an association between early pregnancy sickness and offspring salt (NaCl) preference has been obtained from studying offspring as young a dults and as infants. To determine whether the association between early pr egnancy sickness and salt preference of offspring is secondary to familiar similarity in salt preference, the present study examined the self-reported salt intake and dietary cravings and aversions of pregnant women. Women wh o reported little or no vomiting (n = 108) were compared to women who repor ted moderate to severe vomiting (n = 21) during pregnancy. The women's self -reported salt use and reported cravings and aversions for common food were measured via survey for time periods prior to and during their current pre gnancy. Women did not differ in reported salt use prior to pregnancy as a f unction of their pregnancy symptoms. Women reported more aversions during, than prior to, pregnancy (p < 0.05). Women with more severe vomiting report ed a greater number of aversions (p < 0.05) both prior to and during pregna ncy. There was a significant association between experiencing cravings and aversions prior to pregnancy and experiencing craving and aversions during pregnancy (p < 0.05). These findings do not provide evidence for an associa tion between dietary levels of sodium and the likelihood of experiencing se vere pregnancy symptoms. Therefore, these data do not support the suggestio n that reported elevations in salt preference in offspring of women with mo derate to severe vomiting during pregnancy are mediated by familial dietary practices. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.