title: Maternal diet quality and nutrient intake in the gestational period: results from the delta healthy sprouts comparative impact trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A woman's diet while pregnant can play an important role in her reproductive health as well as the health of her unborn child. Diet quality and nutrient intake amongst pregnant women residing in the rural Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) region of the United States is inadequate. The Delta Healthy Sprouts Project was designed to test the comparative impact of two home visiting programs on weight status, dietary intake, and health behaviors of women and their infants residing in the LMD region. This paper reports results pertaining to maternal diet quality and nutrient intake in the gestational period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental arm (PATE) received monthly home visits beginning in the second trimester using the Parents as Teachers curriculum enhanced with a nutrition and lifestyle behavior curriculum. The control arm (PAT) received monthly home visits using the Parents as Teachers curriculum only. Maternal diet was assessed via 24-h dietary recall at gestational months (GM) 4 (baseline), 6, and 8. Diet quality was computed using the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational period retention rates for PAT and PATE arms were 77 % (33/43) and 67 % (26/39), respectively. Significant effects were not found for time, treatment, or time by treatment for the HEI-2010 total or component scores, macro- or micronutrient intake or percentage of women meeting recommended nutrient intakes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perhaps due to low participant enrollment and higher than expected rates of drop out and noncompliance, we were not able to demonstrate that the enhanced nutrition and lifestyle curriculum (PATE) intervention had a significant effect on diet quality or nutrient intake during pregnancy in this cohort of rural, Southern, primarily African American women.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01746394. Registered 5 December 2012.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 W Roosevelt Road, #416, Chicago, IL 60618 USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Tussing-Humphreys
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776 USA.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776 USA.
authors.forename: Melissa H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 W Roosevelt Road, #416, Chicago, IL 60618 USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olender
keywords: African American women; Maternal diet quality; Pregnancy