Zinc Supplementation Initiated Prior to or During Pregnancy Modestly Impacted Maternal Status and High Prevalence of Hypozincemia in Pregnancy and Lactation: The Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial.

Background: Data regarding effects of small-quantity-lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) on maternal serum zinc concentrations (SZC) in pregnancy and lactation are limited.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of preconception compared with prenatal zinc supplementation (compared with control) on maternal SZC and hypozincemia during pregnancy and early lactation in women in low-resource settings, and assess associations with birth anthropometry.

Methods: From ∼100 women/arm at each of 3 sites (Guatemala, India, and Pakistan) of the Women First Preconception Maternal Nutrition trial, we compared SZC at 12- and 34-wk gestation (n = 651 and 838, respectively) and 3-mo postpartum (n = 742) in women randomly assigned to daily SQ-LNS containing 15 mg zinc from ≥3 mo before conception (preconception, arm 1), from ∼12 wk gestation through delivery (early pregnancy, arm 2) or not at all (control, arm 3).

mini-MED: study protocol for a randomized, multi-intervention, semi-controlled feeding trial of a Mediterranean-amplified vs. habitual Western dietary pattern for the evaluation of food-specific compounds and cardiometabolic health.

Background: Diet is among the most influential lifestyle factors impacting chronic disease risk. Nutrimetabolomics, the application of metabolomics to nutrition research, allows for the detection of food-specific compounds (FSCs) that can be used to connect dietary patterns, such as a Mediterranean-style (MED) diet, to health. This validation study is based upon analyses from a controlled feeding MED intervention, where our team identified FSCs from eight foods that can be detected in biospecimens after consumption and may therefore serve as food intake biomarkers.

Associations between ambient temperature and pregnancy outcomes from three south Asian sites of the Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Growing evidence suggests that environmental heat stress negatively influences fetal growth and pregnancy outcomes. However, few studies have examined the impact of heat stress on pregnancy outcomes in low-resource settings. We combined data from a large multi-country maternal-child health registry and meteorological data to assess the impacts of heat stress.

Maternal nutritional status modifies heat-associated growth restriction in women with chronic malnutrition.

Rapid changes in the global climate are deepening existing health disparities from resource scarcity and malnutrition. Rising ambient temperatures represent an imminent risk to pregnant women and infants. Both maternal malnutrition and heat stress during pregnancy contribute to poor fetal growth, the leading cause of diminished child development in low-resource settings.

Birth length is the strongest predictor of linear growth status and stunting in the first 2 years of life after a preconception maternal nutrition intervention: the children of the Women First trial.

Background: The multicountry Women First trial demonstrated that nutritional supplementation initiated prior to conception (arm 1) or early pregnancy (arm 2) and continued until delivery resulted in significantly greater length at birth and 6 mo compared with infants in the control arm (arm 3).

Objectives: We evaluated intervention effects on infants' longitudinal growth trajectory from birth through 24 mo and identified predictors of length status and stunting at 24 mo.

Methods: Infants' anthropometry was obtained at 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo after the Women First trial (registered at clinicaltrials.

Improved first trimester maternal iodine status with preconception supplementation: The Women First Trial.

Maternal iodine (I) status is critical in embryonic and foetal development. We examined the effect of preconception iodine supplementation on maternal iodine status and on birth outcomes. Non-pregnant women in Guatemala, India and Pakistan (n ~ 100 per arm per site) were randomized ≥ 3 months prior to conception to one of three intervention arms: a multimicronutrient-fortified lipid-based nutrient supplement containing 250-μg I per day started immediately after randomization (Arm 1), the same supplement started at ~12 weeks gestation (Arm 2) and no intervention supplement (Arm 3).

Zinc-Biofortified Wheat Intake and Zinc Status Biomarkers in Men: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Biofortification is a novel method for improving the nutritional value of grains. Wheat is widely consumed worldwide. Thus, wheat zinc biofortification may improve the zinc status of populations.

Zinc absorption and zinc status are reduced after either sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in premenopausal women with severe obesity studied prospectively over 24 postoperative months.

Background: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) is known to reduce zinc absorption; the effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and its long-term implications on zinc absorption have not yet been studied.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effects of SG and RYGBP on zinc absorption and zinc status in premenopausal women with severe obesity up to 24 mo after surgery.

Methods: Twenty-six premenopausal women undergoing SG [BMI (in kg/m2): 37.

Growth from Birth Through Six Months for Infants of Mothers in the "Women First" Preconception Maternal Nutrition Trial.

Objective: To evaluate whether the fetal linear growth effects of maternal nutrition supplementation would be maintained through 6 months postnatal age.

Study Design: The Women First trial was a multicountry, individually randomized clinical trial that compared the impact of maternal nutrition supplementation initiated preconception (Arm 1) vs at ∼11 weeks of gestation (Arm 2), vs no supplement (Arm 3); the intervention was discontinued at delivery. Trial sites were in Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, India, and Pakistan.

Calcium absorption may be affected after either sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in premenopausal women: a 2-y prospective study.

Background: Although Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) is known to reduce calcium absorption (CA), the effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and its long-term implications on CA have not yet been studied.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in CA and its relation with modifications of bone mineral density (BMD), intakes of calcium and vitamin D, vitamin D status, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations ≤24 mo after SG and RYGBP, respectively.

Design: Twenty-six premenopausal women undergoing SG [mean ± SD body mass index (BMI; kg/m2): 37.

Bioavailability of zinc oxide added to corn tortilla is similar to that of zinc sulfate and is not affected by simultaneous addition of iron.

Background: Corn tortilla is the staple food of Mexico and its fortification with zinc, iron, and other micronutrients is intended to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. However, no studies have been performed to determine the relative amount of zinc absorbed from the fortified product and whether zinc absorption is affected by the simultaneous addition of iron.

Objective: To compare zinc absorption from corn tortilla fortified with zinc oxide versus zinc sulfate and to determine the effect of simultaneous addition of two doses of iron on zinc bioavailability.

Heme- and nonheme-iron absorption and iron status 12 mo after sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in morbidly obese women.

Background: The effect of bariatric surgery on iron absorption is only partially known.

Objective: The objective was to study the effects of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) on heme- and nonheme-iron absorption and iron status.

Design: Fifty-eight menstruating women were enrolled in this prospective study [mean (±SD) age: 35.

Zinc absorption and zinc status are reduced after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a randomized study using 2 supplements.

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies are common in patients undergoing gastric bypass. The effect of this type of surgery on zinc absorption and zinc status is not well known.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) on zinc status and zinc absorption at different stages after surgery.

Iron absorption and iron status are reduced after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background: Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are common in patients who undergo gastric bypass. The magnitude of change in iron absorption is not well known.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) on iron status and iron absorption at different stages after surgery.

Relationships among plasma zinc, plasma prolactin, milk transfer, and milk zinc in lactating women.

The objective was to analyze interrelationships among plasma zinc (PZ), plasma prolactin (PRL), milk transfer, and milk zinc from a longitudinal study of lactating women with a range of zinc intakes. Sixteen of 26 women received a 15 mg/d zinc supplement, resulting in a significant increase in total zinc intake compared with nonsupplemented participants (P<.001).

Exchangeable zinc pool size at birth is smaller in small-for-gestational-age than in appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants.

Background: Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants are susceptible to postnatal zinc deficiency, but whether this susceptibility is due to intrauterine factors or to high postnatal growth requirements is unknown.

Objective: We hypothesized that the size of the exchangeable zinc pool (EZP), which reflects metabolically available zinc, would be smaller in SGA than in appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants born prematurely.

Design: Intravenous 70Zn (45 microg/kg) was administered to 10 SGA infants (8 boys) with a mean (+/-SD) gestational age of 33.

Absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize.

Background: Calcium fortification of maize has been achieved for millennia in Central America by the process of nixtamalization. Bioavailability of calcium is, however, compromised by phytate, which is present in large quantities in maize kernels and is only modestly reduced by nixtamalization.

Objective: The objective was to compare the absorption of calcium from tortilla meals prepared from low-phytate maize with that from meals prepared from maize with typical phytate content.

Plasma zinc concentrations are depressed during the acute phase response in children with falciparum malaria.

Plasma concentrations of some micronutrients are altered in the setting of acute infectious or inflammatory stress. Previous studies have provided conflicting evidence concerning the extent and direction of changes in plasma zinc concentrations during the acute phase response. We carried out an observational cohort study in 689 children enrolled in a randomized trial of zinc supplementation during acute falciparum malaria in order to evaluate the relation between plasma zinc concentration and the acute phase response.

Zinc absorption from low-phytate hybrids of maize and their wild-type isohybrids.

Background: Identification of allelic variants in a single gene that determine the phytate content of maize kernels and the subsequent breeding of low-phytate maize have facilitated studies designed to determine quantitatively the effects of maize phytate on the bioavailability of minerals in maize.

Objective: The objective was to determine the relation between the fractional absorption of zinc (FAZ) and the phytate content and phytate:zinc molar ratios of maize tortillas prepared from hybrids with different phytate contents.

Design: Six healthy adults were fed, as the only food for 2 d, maize tortillas prepared from 1 of 2 low-phytate mutants: lpa1-1 (lpa1-1-LP) or Nutridense Low Phytate (ND-LP), which have phytate reductions of approximately 60% and approximately 80%, respectively, compared with their respective wild-type isohybrids.

Zinc absorption from a low-phytic acid maize.

Background: Phytic acid reduction in cereal grains has been accomplished with plant genetic techniques. These low-phytic acid grains provide a strategy for improving the mineral (eg, zinc) status in populations that are dependent on grains, including maize (Zea mays L.), as major dietary staples.