A new study shows that consuming a low-carbohydrate diet during pregnancy may increase the risk of certain diseases in newborns by 30% (neural tube defects — NTDs). Because folic acid significantly reduces the risk of NTDs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all cereals be fortified with 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of product. Shortly after the introduction of fortified foods, the incidence of such defects declined sharply.
Today, low-carbohydrate diets are gaining popularity. According to a recent study, this may reduce the beneficial effect of fortified foods. Restricting carbohydrates often means avoiding bread, cereal, and pasta fortified with folic acid.
Scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill suggest that ‘women who restrict their carbohydrate intake may have low folic acid levels and may subsequently be at higher risk for pregnancies ending in NTDs.’
Their findings were published in a study on birth defects. To test their hypothesis, the researchers used data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Survey, which ran from 1998 to 2011 and included 11,285 pregnant women in the United States.
After analysis, researchers found that folic acid intake in women on low-carbohydrate diets was more than 50% lower than in other women. Pregnancies also ended significantly more often in foetal NTDs. The risk of this increased by 30%. The researchers also cite a Californian study that found that ‘maternal dietary behaviour, including restricted food intake in the first trimester, may be associated with an increased risk of NTDs.’
There is still much to learn about this issue, and it will take time to develop a complete understanding of the mechanisms that influence the increased risk of NTDs.
