By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-1773 x 281Source(s):
Gail Rampersaud gcr@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1978 ext. 423
Lynn Bailey LBBailey@ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1991 ext. 213
Ron Lutz rlutz@ufl.edu, (352) 392-1978 ext. 406
Anita Boles aboles@hmhb.org, (703) 836-6110
GAINESVILLE, FLA.—The Florida Folic Acid Coalition, based at the University of Florida, is joining with other public and private groups to launch National Folic Acid Awareness Week, January 24-30, 2005, throughout the state and nation.
The goal of this weeklong event is to make people aware of the importance of folic acid in their diet and its many lifelong benefits, said Gail Rampersaud, a registered dietitian and assistant in nutrition research and education at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS.
“The theme of the educational effort — Folic Acid: You Don’t Know What You’re Missing! — is especially important with the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets,” she said. “We are concerned that people who are curtailing their intake of carbohydrates such as fortified grains are unaware that they may be missing out on essential vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid, for good health and well-being.”
Rampersaud said folic acid is a B- vitamin necessary for proper cell growth. Daily intake of at least 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk for serious birth defects of the brain and spine, called neural tube defects.
Since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration has required the addition of folic acid to enriched cereal grain products such as breads, cereals, flours, pastas, rice and other grain products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fortification has helped reduce the rates of neural tube defects by approximately 26 percent.
Lynn Bailey, a professor in the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition department, said that taking 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during early pregnancy from a multi- vitamin or fortified foods may help reduce the risk for neural tube defects by up to 70 percent. Bailey’s research on folic acid was a major factor in the National Academy of Sciences’ decision to issue its recommendations on folic acid and birth defect prevention.
“We are concerned that many women of childbearing years might not understand that by lowering their intake of enriched grains, they could be increasing their risk of having a pregnancy affected by a birth defect,” Bailey said. “To get enough folic acid every day, women should take a daily multi- vitamin and include fortified grains as part of a healthy diet that includes folate-rich foods such as orange juice, dark green leafy vegetables, strawberries, and legumes such as peanuts and kidney beans.”
Bailey said about 3,000 babies in the United States, including 80 babies in Florida, are born each year with a neural tube defect, resulting in substantial emotional and financial impacts on affected families. Although many women are aware of folic acid, less than half take a multivitamin containing folic acid every day.
“Taking a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day is such a simple thing to do yet can return huge benefits with regard to the health of a mother and her children,” she said.
Bailey and Rampersaud oversee the Florida Folic Acid Coalition, which is currently supported by UF/IFAS and the Florida Department of Health. The coalition educates consumers and health professionals about the health benefits of folic acid, increasing folic acid intake and reducing the number of babies born with serious birth defects.
Ron Lutz, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and coordinator for the coalition at UF/IFAS, says that much work needs to be done regarding folic acid education. “The coalition’s work will continue well beyond Folic Acid Awareness Week to let everyone know that it’s important to get plenty of folic acid every day.”
The coalition works closely with the National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) in Alexandria, Va. Other coalition members include the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Chapter of the March of Dimes, the Florida Birth Defects Registry and the University of South Florida.
Anita Boles, chair of NCFA, said emerging research shows that folic acid may reduce the risk of other birth defects, such as cleft lip, cleft palate and heart defects, the risk of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and colon, cervical and breast cancer.
“We encourage everyone to take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. The preliminary research findings are exciting, and we believe that taking adequate amounts of folic acid can be beneficial for men and women of all ages,” said Boles.
For more information about folic acid and National Folic Acid Awareness Week, visit the Web site of the National Council on Folic Acid, http://www.folicacidinfo.org or the Florida Folic Acid Coalition, http://www.folicacidnow.net
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