 shorter than their peers. 'Compared to the lowest quartile, children in the highest quartile were approximately 1.5cm to 2.2cm shorter at ages seven to eight,' study author Dr Jessica Gleason told The Telegraph. 'The first quartile is equivalent to almost no caffeine consumption, while the top quartile is estimated to be equivalent to about one cup of coffee per day.' Melanie McGrice, an advanced accredited practising dietitian and a founding member of the Early Life Nutrition Coalition, said mothers are often confused by recommended caffeine intake guidance. 'This study found that even 50mg a day of caffeine may have a significant impact on children's height,' she said. '50mg/ a day is equivalent to approximately one cup of tea or half a cup of instant coffee or a family-sized block of chocolate. 'This study adds to the growing body of evidence that caffeine intake during pregnancy has a more significant impact than was once thought, and given ther){kind=link}
Pregnant women could be advised to avoid tea as well as coffee as analysis suggests exposure to caffeine in womb can affect a child’s height
Pregnant women are often told to avoid coffee, but now evidence suggests they may also need to ditch their daily cup of tea.
An unborn baby’s exposure to caffeine has been linked to shorter childhood height by a new analysis from scientists at the US National Institutes of Health.
Data show that just 50mg a day, the same as half a cup of coffee or one cup of tea, can lead to a child being almost an inch shorter than their peers by age eight.
NHS guidance states a woman should not have more than 200mg of caffeine a day when pregnant, equivalent to two cups of instant coffee. High intake of more than 300 or 350mg a day has been linked to lower birthweight, preterm birth and, in some cases, miscarriage.