Food and nutrient intakes among pregnant women in rural Tamil Nadu, South India.
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.
Andersen
Lena Theilgaard
LT
Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Thilsted
Shakuntala Haraksingh
SH
Nielsen
Birgitte Bruun
BB
Rangasamy
Suguna
S
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
D004041:Dietary Fats; D018977:Micronutrients