Pediatric and Adult Nutrition in Chronic Diseases,
Developmental Disabilities, and Hereditary
Metabolic Disorders

Improved nutrition during pregnancy, especially beginning in the first

trimester, is associated with improved pregnancy outcomes.1,2 In a sys-
tematic review of food subsidy programs in high-income countries,

Black et al.3
found that pregnant food subsidy program participants had
a 10% to 20% increased intake of nutrients. This was associated with a
small but clinically relevant increase in mean birth weight. In the United
States, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants
and Children (WIC) has been proven to have favorable outcomes.4
It
provides nutrition education and foods, promotes breast-feeding, and
provides referrals to health care and social service systems. WIC has
been found to produce improved birth outcomes (i.e., reduced rates of
premature birth and infant mortality), improved nutrient density in the
maternal diet, and improved rates of initiation of breast-feeding.