Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge in Pregnant Women of Lahore: An Interview Based Study at Major Hospitals of Lahore During Prenatal Visits

Qaswara Affaf; Ahmad Ibne Yousaf; Azzah Khadim Hussain; Rameesha Malik; Ayesha Bint Yousaf; Maryam Sikander; Maya Bint Yousaf; Laiba Rashid

doi:10.70749/ijbr.v2i02.210

Authors

Qaswara Affaf Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Ahmad Ibne Yousaf School of Human Nutrition & Dietetics/ Office of the Registrar, Minhaj University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Azzah Khadim Hussain School of Human Nutrition & Dietetics/ Office of the Registrar, Minhaj University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Rameesha Malik Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, University of Lahore, Sargodha Campus, Punjab, Pakistan
Ayesha Bint Yousaf Department of Surgery, DHQ Hospital, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.
Maryam Sikander Department of Public Health, University of Punjab (PU), Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Maya Bint Yousaf School of Software Engineering, Minhaj University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Laiba Rashid School of Human Nutrition & Dietetics/ Office of the Registrar, Minhaj University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v2i02.210

Keywords:

Nutrition Knowledge, Public Health, Pregnant Women, Dietary Practices, Guidelines, Health Care Systems, Nutritional Recommendations

Abstract

Background: The intentions of the following study were to assess women knowledge regarding dietary practices during pregnancy. The study expresses the nutrition related knowledge of pregnant females and its correlation with associated factors of these women. The study also shows the sources of dietary guidance for these women during pregnancy. Method: The study members visited different hospitals of Lahore, interviewed pregnant women and filled questionnaire regarding their knowledge of dietary practices during pregnancy. The statistical tests applied were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Regression, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Spearman’s correlation. Results: 364 questionnaires were finished and analysed using software. Pregnancy related nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with level of education (rs= 0.46, p<0.05) and monthly income (rs=0.27, p<0.05). Only 4.3% of women attained pregnancy scores related to nutrition knowledge above 50%. They mostly get information from their mothers and doctors. Majority of the women recommended increasing intake of supplies from all food groups and fluid. The result indicated that nutritional behaviour of women was characterized by many ill practices. Conclusion: Women interviewed for this research had restricted nutrition knowledge and proper nutrition guidelines were not provided to pregnant women at health care facilities. Women followed insufficient food routines in pregnancies that were mostly directed by mothers of women. The diet of a female during pregnancy has a direct effect on fitness outcomes of mother and child. Many women lacked this information and thus ended with micro-nutrient deficiencies. So there is an alarming need to train women to enhance their knowledge for appropriate dietary patterns to avoid severe outcomes in the form of compromised maternal-child health

References

Pem, D. (2016). Factors Affecting Early Childhood Growth and Development: Golden 1000 Days. Advanced Practices in Nursing, 01(01). https://doi.org/10.4172/2573-0347.1000101

Mameli, C., Mazzantini, S., & Zuccotti, G. (2016). Nutrition in the First 1000 Days: The Origin of Childhood Obesity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(9), 838. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13090838

govt of Pakistan . (2018, June 10). National Nutrition Survey 2018 - Key Findings Report. Unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/reports/national-nutrition-survey-2018-key-findings-report

Niazi, A., Niazi, S., & Baber, A. (2012). Nutritional programmes in Pakistan: A review. Journal of Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals, 1(2), 98. https://doi.org/10.4103/2278-019x.101297

National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Australian dietary guidelines.

Joint, F. A. O. (2004). Human energy requirements. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation, Rome, 17-24 October 2001.

Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Subcommittee of Interpretation, Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes, Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients, & Panel on Micronutrients. (2002). Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. National Academies Press.

Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients, Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, its Panel on Folate, Other B Vitamins, & Choline. (2000). Dietary reference intakes for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, and choline.

Girard, A. W., & Olude, O. (2012). Nutrition Education and Counselling Provided during Pregnancy: Effects on Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Outcomes. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 26, 191–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3016.2012.01278.x

Lee, A., Belski, R., Radcliffe, J., & Newton, M. (2016). What do Pregnant Women Know About the Healthy Eating Guidelines for Pregnancy? A Web-Based Questionnaire. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20(10), 2179–2188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2071-4

Hendrie, G. A., Coveney, J., & Cox, D. (2008). Exploring nutrition knowledge and the demographic variation in knowledge levels in an Australian community sample. Public Health Nutrition, 11(12), 1365–1371. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980008003042

Dodd, J. M., O’Brien, C. M., & Grivell, R. M. (2015). Modifying diet and physical activity to support pregnant women who are overweight or obese. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 18(3), 318–323. https://doi.org/10.1097/mco.0000000000000170

Emmett, R., Akkersdyk, S., Yeatman, H., & Meyer, B. (2013). Expanding Awareness of Docosahexaenoic Acid during Pregnancy. Nutrients, 5(4), 1098–1109. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5041098

Blumfield, M. L., Hure, A. J., MacDonald-Wicks, L. K., Patterson, A. J., Smith, R., & Collins, C. E. (2011). Disparities exist between National food group recommendations and the dietary intakes of women. BMC Women’s Health, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-11-37

CONLIN, M. L., MacLENNAN, A. H., & BROADBENT, J. L. (2006). Inadequate compliance with periconceptional folic acid supplementation in South Australia. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 46(6), 528–533. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828x.2006.00654.x

Akhtar, A. N., Jamil, R., & Tariq, S. (2020). Impact of Education on Knowledge of Women Regarding Food Intake During Pregnancy: A Hospital Based Study. ANNALS of ABBASI SHAHEED HOSPITAL and KARACHI MEDICAL & DENTAL COLLEGE, 25(01), 35–43. https://doi.org/10.58397/ashkmdc.v25i01.232

Martin, J. C., Savige, G. S., & Mitchell, E. K. L. (2014). Health knowledge and iodine intake in pregnancy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 54(4), 312–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12201

Lucas, C. J., Charlton, K. E., Brown, L., Brock, E., & Cummins, L. (2014). Antenatal shared care: Are pregnant women being adequately informed about iodine and nutritional supplementation? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 54(6), 515–521. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12239

Susan, Nicholson, J. M., Callaway, L. K., & Daniels, L. (2012). A prospective study of pregnancy weight gain in Australian women. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 52(6), 545–551. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.12013

Shub, A., Huning, E. Y-S., Campbell, K. J., & McCarthy, E. A. (2013). Pregnant women’s knowledge of weight, weight gain, complications of obesity and weight management strategies in pregnancy. BMC Research Notes, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-6-278

Wilkinson, S. A., Walker, A., & Tolcher, D. (2013). Re‐evaluation of women's nutritional needs, knowledge and behaviours in a tertiary maternity service: are we meeting women's needs yet?. Nutrition & Dietetics, 70(3), 181-187.

Herring, S. J., Nelson, D. B., Davey, A., Klotz, A. A., Dibble, L. V., Oken, E., & Foster, G. D. (2012). Determinants of Excessive Gestational Weight Gain in Urban, Low-Income Women. Women’s Health Issues, 22(5), e439–e446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2012.05.004

Lando, A. M., Fein, S. B., & Choinière, C. J. (2012). Awareness of methylmercury in fish and fish consumption among pregnant and postpartum women and women of childbearing age in the United States. Environmental Research, 116, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2012.04.002

Wong, L. F. A., Ismail, K., & Fahy, U. (2013). Listeria awareness among recently delivered mothers. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 33(8), 814–816. https://doi.org/10.3109/01443615.2013.830091

Downs, A. S. (2014). Falling Short of Guidelines? Nutrition and Weight Gain Knowledge in Pregnancy. Journal of Women’s Health Care, 03(05). https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-0420.1000184

Grimes, H. A., Forster, D. A., & Newton, M. S. (2014). Sources of information used by women during pregnancy to meet their information needs. Midwifery, 30(1), e26-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2013.10.007

Huberty, J., Dinkel, D., Beets, M. W., & Coleman, J. (2012). Describing the Use of the Internet for Health, Physical Activity, and Nutrition Information in Pregnant Women. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 17(8), 1363–1372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-1160-2

Lewallen, L. P. (2004). Healthy Behaviors and Sources of Health Information Among Low-Income Pregnant Women. Public Health Nursing, 21(3), 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0737-1209.2004.021302.x

Wennberg, A. L., Lundqvist, A., Högberg, U., Sandström, H., & Hamberg, K. (2013). Women’s experiences of dietary advice and dietary changes during pregnancy. Midwifery, 29(9), 1027–1034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2012.09.005