The nutrient intakes of mothers of low birth weight babies – a comparison of ethnic groups in East London, UK

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Abstract
The objective of this paper was to compare the nutrient intakes of mothers of different ethnic origins after they had given birth to a low birth weight (LBW) baby (P = 0.007, P = 0.001, respectively). African women had the highest vitamin D intakes (4.72 µg d−1) and Caucasians and Asians the lowest (2.4 µg d−1). Caucasians had the highest calcium intakes (780 mg d−1) and Africans the lowest (565 mg d−1). Over two‐thirds of African, Asian and African‐Caribbean women did not meet the RNI for calcium. Thirty‐one per cent of Africans did not meet the LRNI for calcium. Our data show a high prevalence of inadequate nutrition among women who deliver LBW babies with differences in nutrient intake between ethnic groups. This information can be used to target specific appropriate dietary advice to ethnic minorities for the prevention or repetition of LBW.