title: The role of maternal diet and iron-folic acid supplements in influencing birth weight: evidence from India's National Family Health Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of maternal diet in determining low birth weight (LBW) in Indian infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the National Family Health Survey (2005-06) were used. Multivariate regression analysis was used to analyse the effect of maternal diet on infant birth weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants whose mothers consumed milk and curd daily [odds ratio (OR), 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-1.29]; fruits daily (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.07-1.36) or weekly (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.24) had higher odds of not having a low birth weight baby. The daily consumption of pulses and beans (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36) increased the odds while weekly consumption of fish (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.89) decreased the odds of not having a LBW infant. Intake of iron-folic acid supplements during pregnancy increased birth weight by 6.46 g per month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved intake of micronutrient-rich foods can increase birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Vancouver School of Economics, Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T1Z1, Canada.
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 110029, India ravi.p.upadhyay@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ravi Prakash
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 110029, India.
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhilwar
authors.affiliation: Market Research Analyst, iData Research, Vancouver, V5Z4J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choy
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Land & Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001724:Birth Weight; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: anaemia; birth size; iron and folic acid supplements; low birth weight; mother’s diet