TABLE 1.
Descriptive characteristics of women at baseline (16 wk of pregnancy)1
| Calcium supplement (n = 32) | Placebo (n = 32) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 31.4 ± 6.4 | 28.2 ± 6.0 | 0.04 |
| Race, % | |||
| Caucasian | 22 | 41 | NS |
| African American | 37 | 28 | |
| Other | 41 | 31 | |
| FFQ2 | |||
| Calcium, mg/d | 708 ± 380 | 757 ± 323 | NS |
| Vitamin D, IU/d | 249 ± 188 | 273 ± 125 | NS |
| Servings of dairy/wk3 | 14.3 ± 8.57 | 14.9 ± 8.6 | NS |
| PAQ, METs/d | 1925 ± 2416 | 2160 ± 2356 | NS |
| Serum 25(OH)D, ng/mL | 31.3 ± 8.7 | 32.0 ± 8.5 | NS |
| Serum calcium, mg/dL | 9.1 ± 0.4 | 8.9 ± 0.3 | NS |
| PTH, pg/mL | 24.1 ± 9.8 | 26.2 ± 17.2 | NS |
| Weight, kg | 70.0 ± 14.3 | 80.2 ± 19.4 | 0.02 |
| Height, cm | 162.8 ± 5.9 | 165.3 ± 5.2 | 0.08 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 26.3 ± 4.7 | 29.3 ± 6.8 | 0.05 |
| Primiparous, % | 47 | 53 | NS |
| WIC participants, % | 59 | 59 | NS |
1
Values are means ± SDs unless otherwise indicated. P values are based on Student's t test for continuous variables or chi-square tests for categorical variables. P < 0.05 was considered significant. FFQ, food-frequency questionnaire; MET, metabolic equivalent; PAQ, Physical Activity Questionnaire; PTH, parathyroid hormone; WIC, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
2
Average dietary calcium and vitamin D intake determined by validated FFQ.
3
Servings of dairy (per week) based on USDA serving sizes.