title: A study of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy in riyadh, saudi arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was carried out to evaluate the dietary nutrient intake of pregnant women. The relationship between dietary intake and pregnancy outcome was also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 114 pregnant women were studied, using systematic random sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  THE PERCENTAGES OF THE MEAN NUTRIENT INTAKE BELOW THE RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES (RDA) FOR PREGNANT WOMEN WERE AS THE FOLLOWS: 51.8%, 93.9%, 82.5% and 98.2% for energy, vitamin B1, calcium and iron, respectively. Moreover, 13.2% of the women experienced some form of pica. Using height and mid-arm circumferences, about 2.8% and 4.4% were seen to be undernourished respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Saudi pregnant women need guidance in selecting nutrient dense foods to reduce maternal and outcome health hazards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Almurshed
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bani
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Kanhal
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Amri