Question

On a food label, "Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect" is an example of an FDA approved:

a) Nutrient content claim
b) Health claim
c) Structure/function claim
d) Dietary supplement claim

Answer 1

The FDA approved health claim 'Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect' highlights the importance of folate in preventing neural tube defects in developing fetuses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement "Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect" on a food label is an example of an FDA approved health claim. Health claims describe a relationship between a food, food component, or dietary supplement ingredient, and reducing the risk of a disease or health-related condition. In this case, the claim refers to the role of adequate folate intake in reducing the risk of neural tube defects in developing fetuses.

Folate, a B vitamin, is crucial for the healthy development of the neural tube, which forms the early brain and spinal cord in the fetus. A lack of sufficient folate during the early stages of pregnancy can lead to neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Therefore, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that all people who might become pregnant consume at least 400 µg/day of folate from supplements or fortified foods to prevent these conditions.