This study uses the Pregnancy Health Interview Study/Birth Defects Study (PHIS/BDS) data to examine whether high intake of foods that raise blood sugar affects risk of birth defects in offspring. Dietary intakes of over 12,000 mothers of infants with birth defects will be compared to those of over 5,000 control mothers. This association will also be studied in obese women under the hypothesis that obese women would have the greatest risk because they are more likely to have insulin resistance and therefore are less adaptive to high glycemic load diets.

Investigators:

Martha M. Werler, Sc.D.

Data Analyst:

Mahsa Yazdy

Source of funding:

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development