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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of 55 women enrolled in the Food for Thought study, by study arm

From: A pilot randomized controlled trial to promote healthful fish consumption during pregnancy: The Food for Thought Study

Characteristics

Total (N=55)

Control (N=20)

Advice (N=18)

Advice + Gift Card (N=17)

Median (IQR) or N (%)

Age (y)

30.9 (25.6, 33.8)

32.4 (27.7, 34.3)

32.6 (27.9, 35.9)

27.6 (24.5, 32.0)

Gestational age (wks)

16.1 (13.3, 20.7)

19.1 (14.7, 21.0)

15.2 (13.0, 18.6)

16.4 (13.9, 21.0)

Pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m2)

23.4 (21.1, 28.3)

22.3 (21.1, 27.0)

25.8 (22.8, 34.5)

23.4 (20.7, 28.3)

Single

11 (20%)

4 (20%)

3 (17%)

4 (24%)

First pregnancy

16 (29%)

6 (30%)

6 (35%)

4 (22%)

Race/ethnicity

    

White

27 (49%)

9 (45%)

9 (50%)

9 (53%)

Black

6 (11%)

2 (10%)

2 (11%)

2 (12%)

Asian

6 (11%)

3 (15%)

2 (11%)

1 (6%)

Hispanic/other

16 (29%)

6 (30%)

5 (28%)

5 (29%)

Working full time

22 (40%)

7 (35%)

6 (35%)

9 (50%)

Never smoker

40 (73%)

14 (70%)

14 (78%)

12 (71%)

Supplements

    

DHA from supplements, all (mg/day)

0 (0, 200)

0 (0, 160)

0 (0, 200)

0 (0, 180)

DHA from supplements, takers* (mg/day)

200 (200, 275)

238 (200, 315)

200 (200, 200)

200 (180, 200)

Diet

    

Fish intake (g/day)

11 (4, 23)

10 (4, 18)

15 (2, 37)

10 (7, 23)

DHA intake from fish (mg/day)

41 (11, 113)

40 (11, 63)

75 (6, 203)

40 (32, 111)

DHA from diet > 200 mg/day (%)

8 (15%)

1 (5%)

5 (28%)

2 (12%)

Total DHA diet + supplements (mg/day)

113 (36, 238)

62 (37, 203)

200 (24, 356)

116 (54, 235)

Mercury intake from fish (mcg/day)

0.6 (0.1, 2.0)

0.3 (0.1, 2.1)

0.7 (0.0, 1.8)

0.6 (0.2, 1.5)

Mercury intake (mcg/kg/day)

0.01 (0.00, 0.03)

0.01 (0.00, 0.03)

0.01 (0.00, 0.03)

0.01 (0.00, 0.02)

Biomarkers

    

Plasma DHA (% of total fatty acids)

1.9 (1.5, 2.3)

1.8 (1.5, 2.2)

2.1 (1.8, 2.4)

1.8 (1.6, 2.2)

Whole blood mercury (mcg/L)

1.0 (0.7, 1.7)

1.1 (0.8, 1.5)

0.9 (0.6, 2.0)

0.9 (0.8, 1.9)

Whole blood mercury > 3.5 mcg/L† (%)

4 (7%)

1 (5%)

1 (6%)

2 (12%)

  1. *Among those taking supplements (n=6 in each of the 3 arms). †Threshold per Mahaffey et al., 2009 [7].
  2. IQR = interquartile range.
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Nutrition Journal

ISSN: 1475-2891

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