August 2018

Prenatal Calories More Important than Alcohol Exposure in Obesity July 31, 2018 – Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs fetal neurodevelopment and ultimately causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). PAE has also been associated with low birthweight and a...

March 2018

NRI Scientist’s Research Reveals Important Statistics: FASD Prevalent in US February 26, 2018 –A new study of more than 6,000 first-graders across four U.S. communities has found that a significant number of the children have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders...

September 2017

The Ironies of Iron During Pregnancy Iron is listed by the American Pregnancy Association as one of the nutrients essential for healthy fetal development. Why? Because a lack of iron, a mineral naturally found in foods like meat, seafood and vegetables, directly...

The Ironies of Iron During Pregnancy

August 28, 2017 – Iron is listed by the American Pregnancy Association as one of the nutrients essential for healthy fetal development. Why? Because a lack of iron, a mineral naturally found in foods like meat, seafood and vegetables, directly impacts the development of the fetal brain. Iron also prevents anemia, low birth weight and premature delivery. Unfortunately, 22 percent of US women in their childbearing years are iron deficient, says Susan Smith, PhD, deputy director of science at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute on the NC Research Campus.

February 2017

Breast Cancer Subtype Important in Deciding Impact of Folate It is generally known that folate (vitamin B9) is important in early pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects in babies, because folate is needed by rapidly dividing cells (e.g., those of a developing...

January 2017

What We’re Learning about Mom’s Nutrition and Alcohol Dr. Phil May’s research group at the NRI studies the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in humans. The recent addition to the NRI faculty of Dr. Susan Smith now provides an avenue...

July 2016

The Sweet Reality of Eating Nutritious Fruits This time of year, fresh fruits abound. No matter whether the fruit you eat is fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, all of the varieties offer a plethora of flavors, colors and, most importantly, health benefits. No...