title: Food and nutrient intakes among pregnant women in rural Tamil Nadu, South India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study pregnant women's diet at food and nutrient levels and how these match recommendations; to describe how factors such as education level, economy and folk dietetics influence the women's food choice; and to give suggestions for the improvement of nutrition education in the existing antenatal care systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty pregnant women in the last trimester were interviewed three times using a 24-hour dietary recall with weighing of foods and recipes of dishes. Interviews regarding health, nutrition and socio-economic status, and measurements of weight and height of the women, were conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural parts of Salem District, Tamil Nadu, South India.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The women's diet (without supplements) was insufficient in energy and all nutrients except fat, compared with the Indian recommendations. Aggravating low intakes of micronutrients were found which were reflected in low intakes of foods other than rice. Eating customs and economy appeared to influence the women's food choice negatively in relation to recommendations while factors such as education level, family type, pregnancy number and folk dietetics did not seem to have a negative effect. The amounts of foods recommended, especially green leafy vegetables, must be shown to the women. The nutrition advice given by all levels of health providers must be the same and based on cheap, local, commonly consumed foods.
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lena Theilgaard
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Shakuntala Haraksingh
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Thilsted
authors.forename: Birgitte Bruun
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Suguna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rangasamy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011939:Mental Recall; D018977:Micronutrients; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012423:Rural Health; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D018977:Micronutrients