Peter Gluckman, Mark Hanson, Chong Yap Seng, and Anne Bardsley. Nutrition and Lifestyle for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2015. $52.50. pp. 432. Paperback. ISBN 9780198722700.

• Published date: 01 September 2016
• Date: 01 September 2016
• Author: Kee Chan
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.197

Book Review

Peter Gluckman, Mark Hanson, Chong Yap Seng, and Anne Bardsley. Nutrition

and Lifestyle for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press,

2015. $52.50. pp. 432. Paperback. ISBN 9780198722700.

Nutrition and Lifestyle for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding is a quick reference tool

that highlights the essential nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy and the

behaviors needed to yield positive birth outcomes using a life-course perspective.

Interestingly, the authors provide key references to epigenetic mechanisms,

environmental factors, food choices (i.e., vegetarian vs. vegan), social behavior

habits (i.e., handling stressful life situations), and lifestyle effects (i.e., alcohol

consumption and smoking) on pregnancy outcomes. Although there are many

textbooks and research articles pertaining to diet, nutrition, and weight manage-

ment for women in the different stages of pregnancy, including preconception,

prenatal, and post-partum, this book is unique in its attempt to provide an

organized, structured format on the 1) functions of micronutrients; 2) biochemis-

try mechanisms behind the nutrients in the body system; 3) impact of def‌iciency

on the health of women and developing fetuses, as well as the impact of an

excess of nutrients on health; and 4) sources of nutrients from specif‌ic food

sources. It includes a summary box that highlights the U.S. Institute of Medicine’s

recommended dietary allowances from infancy to adulthood. To summarize the

main points, at the end of each chapter the authors make recommendations for

the intake of specif‌ic vitamins during pregnancy and lactation. The authors also

introduce the concept of the life-course perspective; early programming; and the

impact of environmental, epigenetic factors on sensitive periods during preg-

nancy.

Although the authors cond ensed the vital biochemic al information on

nutrients as it relates to the h ealth of women and infants, th e central theme

throughout the book is t hat nutrition is a “medical intervention” that is easily

accessible and afforda ble in the form of fruits, veg etables, and meat. They

argue that women during pregnancy could benef‌it from sp ecif‌ic amounts of

certain nutrients during the “sensitive periods” of pregnancy. Research on the

World Medical & Health Policy, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2016

354

1948-4682 #2016 Policy Studies Organization

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