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Maternal Nutrition in Ireland: Issues of Public Health Concern

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Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

This chapter describes the major nutrition-related issues of current public health concern in Ireland. Specifically, we discuss concerns related to maternal obesity, gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, folate, vitamin D, iron, long-chain polyunsaturated acids, and alcohol use. For each issue, the extent of the problem is outlined and any Irish-based interventions to improve the situation are described. National policies and clinical guidelines relating to each issue are also discussed.

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Abbreviations

25(OH)D:

25 – hydroxyvitamin D

Atlantic-DIP:

Atlantic diabetes in pregnancy

BMI:

Body mass index

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

EFSA:

European Food Safety Authority

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid

FSAI:

Food Safety Authority of Ireland

GDM:

Gestational diabetes mellitus

GUI:

Growing up in Ireland

GWG:

Gestational weight gain

HSE:

Health Services Executive

IADPSG:

International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups

ICGP:

Irish College of General Practitioners

IOM:

Institute of Medicine

IUNA:

Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance

LC-PUFA:

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

NANS:

National adult nutrition survey

NTD:

Neural tube defect

OGTT:

Oral glucose tolerance test

PRAMS:

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

RDA:

Recommended daily allowance

RNI:

Reference nutrient intake

ROLO:

Randomized cOntrol trial of LOw glycaemic index diet to prevent macrosomia in euglycemic women

SCOPE:

Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints

SLAN:

Survey on lifestyle and attitudes to nutrition

US:

United States

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Correspondence to John M. Kearney BSc (Ag), PgDip, PhD .

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Kearney, J.M., O’Sullivan, E.J. (2017). Maternal Nutrition in Ireland: Issues of Public Health Concern. In: Rajendram, R., Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Diet, Nutrition, and Fetal Programming. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60289-9_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60289-9_29

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