Little data is available about organic food consumption during pregnancy, so the Norwegian Institute of Public Health conducted a study to find out how many women ate organic foods while they were pregnant, and the types of food they selected.
Nearly 65,000 women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study supplied the answers. Participants responded to two different questionnaires during the years 2002-2007. The first questionnaire, containing questions on general health, was answered in week 15 of pregnancy. The second questionnaire about diet was answered during week 17-22 of pregnancy.
For the study, food was divided into categories: milk and dairy products, bread and cereals, eggs, vegetables, fruits and meats. According to the results, 10 percent of women regularly consume organic foods during pregnancy, with eggs and vegetables the most popular organic choices.
Researchers established a profile of pregnant women who typically consumed organic food. Usually under 25 or over 40 years old, she has four years of higher education, or 12 years of education in total. Many were students or had a partner who was a student. They were normal or low weight, and exercised frequently – at least three times a week.
The results show that organic food is widely used among pregnant women in Norway across different groups.