Growing Up in New Zealand Policy Brief. Nutrition and physical activity during pregnancy: Evidence from Growing Up in New Zealand

In pregnancy, good nutrition is particularly necessary to maintain maternal and child health. Recommendations about what to eat and what to avoid eating and drinking during pregnancy have become increasingly extensive in recent decades. Food and Nutrition Guidelines, including guidelines for physical activity, for pregnant women in New Zealand were published by the Ministry of Health in 2006. They contain recommendations focused on the daily intake of the four major food groups: vegetables and fruit; bread and cereals; milk and milk products; and lean meat, meat alternatives and eggs.

Little is known about the dietary intake of pregnant women in New Zealand, and where they get their information about diet and nutrition. This policy brief describes a selection of information for pregnant women of the Growing Up in New Zealand study with respect to their nutrition and physical activity during pregnancy.