FOLIC ACID: A Vitamin That Could Change A Life Forever

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FOLIC ACIDA Vitamin That Could Change A Life
Forever
Tennessee Folic Acid Council
Co-Sponsored by the March of Dimes and
the Tennessee Department of Health
This presentation was developed by the Sumner
County Health Department
through a grant from the March of Dimes in

collaboration with members of the Middle
Tennessee Folic Acid Council
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COURSE OUTLINE

• What is Folic Acid?
• What Are Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)?
• How Do Neural Tube Defects Occur?
• What are the Consequences of Neural Tube Defects?
  
• Who Needs Folic Acid?
• What are the Recommended Levels of Folic Acid?
• How Do You Get Enough Folic Acid?

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What is Folic Acid?

• A B-vitamin that may help prevent up to 70
  percent of
• Neural Tube Defects.

But, its not just for women.
Men need folic acid also.
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Neural Tube Defects How Do They Occur?

• Babys brain and spine fail to close completely

Neural tube closing properly
to form spinal column and brain.
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Most Common NTDs

• Anencephaly

• Spina Bifida

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Anencephaly

• Upper end of the neural tube fails to close

• Brain either never completely develops or is
  totally absent.

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Spina Bifida

• Neural tube fails to close on lower end

• Spinal cord and back do not develop properly

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Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)

• Spina Bifida - 60
• Anencephaly - 30
• Encephalocele - 10
• (A gap in the skull in which there is a
  protrusion of the membranes that cover the brain
  meninges and brain tissue)

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The High Cost of NTDs

• Financial Costs In 2000, spina bifida was
  associated with over 11 million in health care
  costs at Tennessee hospitals and clinics.
• (Tennessee Hospital Discharge Data, 2000)

Physical Costs Possible paralysis (the
leading cause of childhood paralysis), bowel and
bladder control problems, learning disabilities,
hydrocephalus, surgical procedures, latex
allergies, increased health problems with age
Emotional Costs Miscarriage, stillbirth,
infant mortality (death before 1st birthday),
disability, feeling different
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Factors Associated with Increased Risk
of NTDs...

• Ethnicity
• Genetics/environment
• Geography

• Heat exposure
• Maternal diabetes
• Anti-epileptic drugs

• Medically diagnosed obesity
• Previous NTD affected pregnancy
• Family history of NTD
• Low socioeconomic/educational level

Valporic Acid/Depakene? and Carbamazapine
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Folic Acid - Who needs it????

• Any women who COULD become pregnant
• Pregnant women
• Everyone,
  INCLUDING MEN!

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CDC Recommendation

• All women of childbearing age in the United
  States
• who are capable of becoming pregnant
• should consume 400 mcg. of folic acid per day
• for the purpose of reducing their risk
• of having a pregnancy affected
• with a Neural Tube Defect.
• Women who have had prior NTD-affected pregnancy
• are at risk of having a subsequent affected
  pregnancy.

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Policy Recommendations
U.S. Public Health Service (1992)
all women of childbearing age capable of
becoming pregnant should consume 400 mcg. of
folic acid daily
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Policy Recommendations
Institute of MedicineCommittee on Dietary
Intakes (1998)
women capable of becoming pregnant should
take 400 mcg. of synthetic folic acid daily in
addition to consuming food folate from a varied
diet
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STRETCH BREAK
Everyone stand up and stretch.

• If you use any kind of tobacco product, sit down.
• If you do not wear your seat belt every time you
  get into the car, sit down.
• If you abuse food or alcohol, sit down.
• If you do not have a regular exercise program,
  sit down.
• If you do not take a multivitamin or eat a cereal
  fortified with high levels of vitamins and
  minerals, sit down.

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Getting Enough Folic Acid
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Foods Naturally High in Folic Acid

• Liver
• Nuts and peanut butter
• Dried peas or beans

• Juices orange, pineapple, tomato
• Fruits orange, avocado, cantaloupe

• Leafy green vegetables

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Fortified Grain Products
140 mcg. folic acid per 100 grams of grain product
SOME of the cereals with 100 of the recommended
daily value (DV) of folic acid per serving
(recommended DV is 400 mcg.)

• Just Right with Crunchy Nuggets?

• Multi-Grain Cheerios Plus?

• Product 19?

• Special K?

• Whole Grain Total?

• Total Corn Flakes?

• Total Raisin Bran?

Check Nutrition Facts label on package to
determine of RDA for folic acid.
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Easiest Way!

• Take a multi-vitamin with 400 mcg. of synthetic
  folic acid every day

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Changing Behavior and Diet

• An individual is more likely to
• make behavioral and dietary changes if they are
  tailored to usual dietary customs and
  lifestyle, i.e. while brushing teeth.

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Your Help is Needed!

• Help spread the message
• about the need for folic acid
• for health and for
• birth defects prevention!

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Folic Acid Awareness vs. Behavior
Survey of Tennessee Women Age 18-44

Awareness of Folic Acid Take Daily Folic
Acid
March of Dimes Survey conducted by the Gallup
Organization
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Doctors Who Recommend Folic Acid Make a
Difference!
Study published in the Canadian Family
Physician, Vol 452001-2260, Sept. 1999 March of
Dimes, Tennessee Chapter, Survey of Primary
Health Care Providers, Sept. 2000
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Number of Babies Born to Tennessee Teen Moms, 2001

Source Tennessee Department of Health, Birth
Certificate, 2001
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How Can YOU Help?

• Begin taking a multivitamin with folic acid now
  for your health.
• Or, eat breakfast cereal fortified with 100 of
  the daily requirement for folic acid.
• Tell your friends about the health benefits of
  folic acid.
• Tell your mother, sisters, aunts, teachers,
  neighbors, etc., about the health benefits of
  folic acid.

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Resource List

• Tennessee Department of Health [phone]
• www.state.tn.us/health
• March of Dimes 1-888-663-4637
• www.marchofdimes.com
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid
• Health Care Provider
• Regional or County Health Department