The effects of dietary advice and vouchers on the intake of fruit and fruit juice by pregnant women in a deprived area: a controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effectiveness of two methods of increasing fruit and fruit juice intake in pregnancy: midwives' advice and vouchers exchangeable for juice.


METHODS
Pregnant women were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group, who received usual care; an advice group, given advice and leaflets promoting fruit and fruit juice consumption; and a voucher group, given vouchers exchangeable for fruit juice from a milk delivery firm. Dietary questionnaires were administered at ~16, 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Serum beta-carotene was measured at 16 and 32 weeks.


METHODS
An antenatal clinic in a deprived area.


METHODS
Pregnant women aged 17 years and over.


RESULTS
The study comprised 190 women. Frequency of fruit consumption declined during pregnancy in all groups, but that of fruit juice increased substantially in the voucher group. Serum beta-carotene concentration increased in the voucher group, from 106.2 to 141.8 micromol l(-1) in women with measurements on both occasions (P = 0.003), decreased from 120.0 to 99.8 micromol l(-1) in the control group (P = 0.005), and was unchanged in the advice group.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant women drink more fruit juice if they receive vouchers exchangeable for juice supplied by the milk delivery service. Midwives' advice to eat more fruit has no great effect. Providing vouchers for fruit juice is a simple method of increasing its intake in a deprived population and may be useful for other sections of the community.
Burr
M L
ML
Department of Epidemiology, Statistics and Public Health, Centre for Health Sciences Research, Cardiff University, Neuadd Meirionnydd, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK. burrml@cf.ac.uk
Trembeth
J
J
Jones
K B
KB
Geen
J
J
Lynch
L A
LA
Roberts
Z E S
ZE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000191:economics; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011247:Pregnancy; D014040:Token Economy; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood
D019207:beta Carotene