Pregnant mothers have limited knowledge and poor dietary diversity practices, but favorable attitude towards nutritional recommendations in rural Ethiopia: evidence from community-based study

Abstract

Background: Mothers' nutrition is crucial for good pregnancy outcomes and in improving children's nutritional status. The present study aimed to examine the level of knowledge and attitude towards maternal nutrition and dietary diversity practices among pregnant mothers in rural central Ethiopia. Methods: In-depth analysis of data from a prospective study involving a total of 389 eligible pregnant women, enrolled during their second antenatal care (ANC) visit was conducted between August 2014 and March 2015. Study participants were selected by employing systematic sampling techniques. Dietary diversity practices were assessed by asking each individual pregnant woman to provide a single 24-h dietary recall. Simple frequencies and graphs were used to present the analyzed data and interpretations. Results: Vegetables were listed top as major sources of vitamin A (45.5%) and iron (23.8%). Nearly half (47%) of the mothers lacked awareness on balanced and diversified diets. Conversely, nearly three fourths (73.8%) and two thirds (66.8%) of them had favorable attitudes towards dietary diversity and early initiation of antenatal care follow up. With a median dietary diversity score of four, starchy staples (100%), legumes and nuts (89.2%) were major food groups consumed by almost all of the mothers included in the study. Conclusion: Though pregnant mothers had limited knowledge and poor dietary diversity practices, they exhibited a relatively favorable attitude towards major nutritional recommendations. Use of antenatal care and its follow up as a point of entry for educating pregnant women and increasing nutrition knowledge and attitude is recommended.

Burden and Determinant of Inadequate Dietary Diversity among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Many women in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia remain particularly exposed to inadequate intake of micronutrients, resulting in different types of malnutrition and its complications. Seven percent of the global disease burden and at least one-fifth of maternal deaths and poor maternal outcomes are as the result of maternal inadequate dietary diversity [10,11]. About one million neonates die on the first day and in the first week of life due to inadequate dietary intake of the mothers prior to and during pregnancy, as linked with increasing trends in maternal anemia, mortality, and adverse birth outcomes [12].…”

Effects of guided counseling during pregnancy on birth weight of newborns in West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

“…Despite its serious consequences on birth weight and other birth outcomes, nutrient intakes of Ethiopian pregnant women were less than the recommended amounts for several key nutrients [24,25]. This is hypothesized to be due to poor dietary habits of pregnant women since the majority of pregnant women in the country take a cereal-based monotonous diet low in nutrient content and with poor bioavailability [26][27][28].…”

The Effect of Health Education on Dietary Knowledge and Practices of Pregnant Women in Jordan: A Quasi-Experimental Study

“…8 The majority of participants in our study also identified the components of a balanced diet and reported the causes of undernutrition. In contrast, a study in Ethiopia found that, only half of the pregnant women reported adequate knowledge about a balanced diet 22 and a study in Lebanon indicated that 65% of women did not know the causes of undernutrition. 9 The findings of the current study may demonstrate some previous exposure to certain dietary-related topics among pregnant women, either at home or in the antenatal care setting.…”