By:
Mickie Anderson (352) 392-0400

Source(s):
Gail Rampersaud gcr@ufl.edu, 352-392-1978 ext. 423
Gail Kauwell gpkauwell@mail.ifas.ufl.edu, 352-392-1991 ext. 227
Ron Lutz rlutz@ufl.edu, 352-392-1978 ext. 406

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The March of Dimes Florida chapter has awarded the University of Florida a $48,885 grant to help educate women about the importance of folic acid.

The money will be used by the Florida Folic Acid Coalition, based in UF’s food science and nutrition department, to encourage women to take 400 micrograms of the vitamin every day to help reduce the risk of having a baby with birth defects of the brain or spine.

Folic acid may also reduce the risk of other birth defects, including those of the heart, face and limbs.

Surveys show that about one-third of American women from 18 to 45 years old report taking a daily dose of folic acid. That’s not enough, said Gail Rampersaud, a registered dietitian with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that based on intervention studies, between 50 and 70 percent of brain or spinal birth defects could be prevented by taking folic acid, she said.

One of the toughest issues for health care professionals encouraging young women to take folic acid is that for many, becoming pregnant is the last thing they want to think about.

“They equate taking folic acid with an ‘I’m-trying-to-get-pregnant’ mindset,” Rampersaud said. “And getting pregnant is not on their agenda.”

But at least half of all pregnancies aren’t planned, she said. And because taking folic acid is most beneficial in the early stages of pregnancy, health officials say all women of childbearing age should take the daily dose.

Some health care providers could do more to stress folic acid use, however. A survey of Florida health care professionals found that fewer than two-thirds of pediatricians and family doctors knew the specific recommendations, and fewer than half recommended the vitamin to female patients of childbearing age all or most of the time.

The grant will pay to develop an educational toolkit for occupational health care providers to educate them and company employees about folic acid.

Other grant activities include outreach materials such as maintaining the Florida Folic Acid Coalition’s Web site, www.FolicAcidNow.net, newsletters, exhibits at health care professional meetings and presentations to health professionals and consumer groups.

In the U.S., about 3,000 babies—including nearly 100 from Florida—are born each year with brain and spinal defects, some of them preventable.

Gail Kauwell, professor and folate researcher in UF’s food science and human nutrition department, pointed out that while folic acid is most notably tied to helping prevent birth defects, other research suggests it may help reduce risk for stroke, heart disease, some cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

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