Food security and weight gain during pregnancy in a multi-ethnic cohort of women in Los Angeles: Findings from the 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Survey

Objective: To determine the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) and its association with meal skipping in a population-based sample of women who gave birth in Los Angeles County.

Methods: We used data from the 2007 LAMB survey, a population–based, mail sample survey with telephone follow-up for non-respondents based on a multistage clustered design. Analyses were based on unweighted responses of 3,831 women with live births and gestational age of at least 37 completed weeks. Participants responded to two questions regarding meals: 1) “…Did you ever eat less that you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food?” 2) “During your last pregnancy, how often did you skip a meal?” Self-reported weight was used to calculate GWG.

Results: No difference was reported in average GWG between those reporting eating less than they felt they should because there was no money for food versus those who did not (p=NS). Average GWG was lower for those who skipped meals 4-6 times/week versus those who never skipped meals (p<.001). When compared to recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for GWG, those who reported skipping any meals had a 1.34 times higher odds of gaining less than IOM recommendations compared to those who met recommendations (p<.05).

Discussion: Skipping meals during pregnancy puts women at risk for poor birth outcomes due to inadequate weight gain and potentially inadequate intake of crucial nutrients. Educational resources should be developed to address these issues and made available by all health practitioners who interact with pregnant women.