10.01.05
In response to two articles published in the September issue of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes restated its long time position in favor of folic acid consumption. In order to prevent even more occurrences of birth defects, the organization says federal officials need to require higher levels of consumption of the B vitamin.
A team of researchers led by Laura Williams, MPH, of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that folic acid fortification accounted for a 36% decline in neural tube defects (NTDs) in the Hispanic population and a 34% drop among the white, non-Hispanic population between 1995 and 2002. The prevalence of NTDs in the black, non-Hispanic population did not decrease significantly, the CDC researchers said. In an accompanying editorial, Robert Brent, MD, PhD, and Godfrey Oakley, Jr., MD, MSPM, called on FDA to at least double the amount of folic acid required in enriched grain foods (currently set at 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of grain). They also urged FDA to require grain suppliers to add vitamin B12 to enriched products to optimize health effects from fortification. The authors also advised the manufacturers of corn flour to make all their products enriched with folic acid, in order to prevent more NTDs among Hispanic babies.
The March of Dimes also says all women capable of becoming pregnant should consume a multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day starting before pregnancy, as part of a healthy diet containing foods fortified with folic acid and foods that naturally contain folic acid, such as leafy green vegetables and beans.
A team of researchers led by Laura Williams, MPH, of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that folic acid fortification accounted for a 36% decline in neural tube defects (NTDs) in the Hispanic population and a 34% drop among the white, non-Hispanic population between 1995 and 2002. The prevalence of NTDs in the black, non-Hispanic population did not decrease significantly, the CDC researchers said. In an accompanying editorial, Robert Brent, MD, PhD, and Godfrey Oakley, Jr., MD, MSPM, called on FDA to at least double the amount of folic acid required in enriched grain foods (currently set at 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of grain). They also urged FDA to require grain suppliers to add vitamin B12 to enriched products to optimize health effects from fortification. The authors also advised the manufacturers of corn flour to make all their products enriched with folic acid, in order to prevent more NTDs among Hispanic babies.
The March of Dimes also says all women capable of becoming pregnant should consume a multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day starting before pregnancy, as part of a healthy diet containing foods fortified with folic acid and foods that naturally contain folic acid, such as leafy green vegetables and beans.