Carbohydrates and Health

A7.11 An Australian study conducted in 557 women observed no association between
the percentage of energy from carbohydrate in early and late pregnancy and infant
birth weight (Moore et al., 2004).
A7.12 A study in the USA conducted in 224 women assessed dietary intake at the 27th
week of gestation (Lagiou et al., 2004). The intake of total carbohydrate (g/day)
was not associated with infant birth weight (p=0.21). Partial regression coefficients
showing changes in adjusted birth weight per increments of one standard deviation
of carbohydrate intake also indicated no association (p=0.62).
A7.13 A study conducted in New Zealand assessed maternal diet at months four and
seven of gestation in 439 low-income women. Maternal total carbohydrate intake
was not associated with birth weight. A further analysis indicated that percentage
energy from carbohydrate, but not grams carbohydrate/day, was associated with
birth weight in a quadratic relationship. In multiple regression analyses the authors
observe that when carbohydrate consumption was below or above 48% of energy,
birth weight was significantly lower (Watson & McDonald, 2010). The subgroup
with the highest mean birth weight (approximately 3600g) had a percentage energy
intake from carbohydrate of 48%, 35% from fat and 17% from protein.
A7.14 Overall, the seven cohort studies provide little indication that maternal total
carbohydrate intake (g/day or % energy) is associated with infant birth weight.
Total carbohydrate (g/day or % energy) and birth weight
• No association
• Adequate evidence
Sugars
A7.15 Five cohort studies were identified that presented evidence on maternal intake
of sugars (total and individual sugars) and infant birth weight (Lenders et al., 1994;
Godfrey et al., 1996; Lenders et al., 1997; Langley-Evans & Langley-Evans, 2003;
Watson & McDonald, 2010).
A7.16 The two studies conducted in adolescents from low income families both
compared participants in the top 10th percentile of sugars intake (≥206 g/day)
with the remainder of adolescents (sugars intake