Nutrition during pregnancy: the effects of an educational intervention program in Greece.

An intervention program was undertaken to assess dietary habits and the impact of nutrition education among pregnant women in the rural county of Florina, northern Greece. Analysis of dietary habits, nutrient intake, hemoglobin, and serum vitamin concentrations in an intervention and control group indicated that the population was adequately nourished although nutrient intake was below recommended levels for pregnant women. Nutrition counseling was associated with improvements in dietary intake and significantly greater maternal weight gain (p less than 0.05). Mean birth weight was slightly higher in the intervention group but so was the incidence of low birth weight (4.5% vs 3.9%). The prematurity rate was marginally lower in the intervention group (p less than 0.04), as was the number of perinatal deaths (9 vs 11). The results indicate that nutrition counseling during pregnancy can improve dietary intake and maternal weight gain but the mediating influence on low frequency pregnancy outcomes is indeterminate in a population that is not nutritionally at risk.

Nutrition and diet for healthy lifestyles in Europe: the 'Eurodiet' Project.

The aims of this project are to formulate a strategy and action plan for developing and implementing European dietary guidelines. The project is supported by DGV/F/3 and was initiated in October 1998. The work plan has entailed the formation of Working Parties composed of prominent experts from the member states to prepare consensus documents on the state of the art in Europe and the added value of European population-based guidelines. These groups are addressing 4 inter-linked components of the project: (1) evaluation of the role of diet and lifestyles in health & disease patterns in Europe; (2) the feasibility of developing an EU-wide framework for food-based dietary guidelines; (3) public health nutrition strategies for implementing FBDGs and for enhancing physically active lifestyles in Europe and (4) an evaluation of policy, trade, economic and technological aspects to improving nutritional status and lifestyles in the EU. Stakeholders from the spectrum of interests involved are invited to assess and debate the science and policy implications of these documents, which will be presented at a European Conference in May 2000. Recommendations in the form of a practical, evidence based policy document will be presented to the European Commission, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.