New mums’ diets lack fruit and veg
Out of 529 new mothers, 58% met the recommended fruit intake of two serves a day, and 7% met the recommended five serves of vegetables a day. Image: carlosgaw/iStockphoto New Australian research has found first-time mums are skimping on fruit and vegetables, putting their babies at risk of longer-term health problems. The Melbourne study into the eating habits of 529 new mothers found just 58% met the recommended fruit intake of two serves a day, and only one in ten (7%) met the recommended five serves of vegetables a day. The research, published this month in the Dietitians Association of Australia’s journal Nutrition & Dietetics, found breastfeeding mothers were doing better than their non-breastfeeding counterparts. Lead researcher Deborah Leslie from Deakin University said: ‘Our study found breastfeeding mums eat about half a serve more vegetables, or around an extra ¼ cup of cooked vegetables, than non-breastfeeding mums. They also eat a greater range...