Food taboos during pregnancy

Dietary habit and lifestyle of postpartum women in South China: a mixed methods research

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the dietary and hygiene behaviours and influencing factors of women during the puerperium in South China.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Three tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province, China PARTICIPANTS: From November 2022 to March 2023, 327 women with puerperal experience were enrolled using the purposive sampling method, with 323 valid questionnaires collected for data analysis. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six puerperium women and five primary caregivers.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

This study used a questionnaire survey to collect and analyse the current postpartum dietary and hygiene behaviours among women in the South China region, along with their influencing factors.

RESULTS

Multinomial logistics regression revealed women residing in urban-rural fringe were more likely to use ventilated rooms (OR 4.496, 95% CI 2.363 to 8.552) and avoid hair washing (OR 0.345, 95% CI 0.159 to 0.749) compared with urban residents. Additionally, women who practiced Buddhism were more likely to wash their hair (OR 11.070, 95% CI 2.339 to 52.379) and take baths (OR 6.856, 95% CI 2.057 to 22.855) compared with those with no religious affiliation. Lastly, those whose primary caregiver was their husband were more likely to consume watermelon (OR 2.235, 95% CI 1.119 to 4.463), persimmon (OR 4.395, 95% CI 1.886 to 10.242) and longan (OR 2.612, 95% CI 1.362 to 5.010). The qualitative study identified five themes: dietary practices, hygiene habits, personal attitude, sources of information and support.

CONCLUSION

The dietary and hygiene behaviours of puerperium women in South China are significantly influenced by the residen, primary caregivers and religious beliefs. Medical care providers should adopt a precision postpartum care strategy to improve the quality of care.

Myanmar immigrant women's perceptions, beliefs, and information-seeking behaviors with nutrition and food practices during pregnancy in Thailand: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Although nutrition is an essential contributor to the quality of pregnancy outcomes, little is known about the experiences and influences affecting dietary behaviors during pregnancy among migrant women, particularly those from Myanmar, the largest immigrant population in Thailand. To fill this gap, we conducted a descriptive qualitative study to explore Myanmar immigrant women's perceptions, beliefs, and information-seeking behaviors concerning nutrition and food practices during pregnancy.

METHODS

We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with fifty Myanmar immigrant pregnant women aged 18-45 years across all trimesters, who were recruited using purposive sampling from a public tertiary hospital. The FGDs were conducted in Thai or Myanmar using semi-structured guides that probed women's pregnancy perceptions and experiences about nutrition and food patterns during pregnancy. The FGDs were audio-recorded, translated, and transcribed. Direct content analysis was used to guide the analysis through an ecological perspective framework.

RESULTS

The seven FGDs with fifty women revealed four major themes involving perceptions, beliefs, and information-seeking behaviors. The qualitative results consisted of (1) a positive attitude toward better changes under difficult conditions (setting goals for infant health; uncertainty about changes); (2) beliefs about eating patterns and dietary practices during pregnancy (taboos aimed at protecting women's health and ensuring safe childbirth; taboos aimed at guaranteeing infant safety); (3) limited access to appropriate information about nutrition (unclear dietary information from healthcare providers; ease of learning from experiences in informal social networks); and (4) difficult living conditions in a non-native setting (work-related influences on dietary behaviors; lack of comprehensible language to gain food literacy). In addition, the results were highlighted across four levels of ecological perspectives.

CONCLUSIONS

Immigrant pregnant women are a vulnerable population that should be treated with equity to ensure quality of life through optimal nutrition throughout pregnancy. Respectful care requires that healthcare providers develop culturally sensitive nutrition interventions to increase nutrition literacy, accessibility, and pregnancy outcomes.

Cultural food practices and sources of nutrition information among pregnant and postpartum migrant women from low- and middle-income countries residing in high income countries: A systematic review

Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) may engage in a range of cultural food practices during pregnancy, including restricting or avoiding foods high in protein and iron, and foods rich in vitamins and minerals. While research has explored the cultural food practices of pregnant women in LMICs, there is less understanding of the continued cultural food practices of women who migrate to high-income countries and then become pregnant. This systematic review explores the existing research on cultural food practices and sources of nutrition information among pregnant and postpartum migrant women from LMICs, residing in high-income countries. A systematic search was conducted in April 2024 across Global Health, CINAHL, and MEDLINE, published in English, with no date restrictions. Eligible studies included those focused on pregnant and postpartum women who had migrated from LMICs to high-income countries. Studies were excluded if they comprised of non-immigrant women or did not involve LMIC participants. Screened were studies for eligibility, data were extracted, and study quality was assessed. In total, 17 studies comprising qualitative (n = 10) and quantitative (n = 7) approaches were included. In 14 studies participants adhered to cultural food practices, wherein certain nutritious foods were restricted during pregnancy or the postpartum period; three studies noted limited adherence due to support, acculturation, and access to traditional foods. Most studies (n = 10) reported traditional "hot" and "cold" food beliefs during pregnancy and postpartum, aiming to maintain humoral balance for maternal and child health and to prevent miscarriage. Nutrition advice was sought from family members, friends, relatives, healthcare providers, and media sources, with a preference for advice from family members in their home countries. There is a need for culturally appropriate nutrition education resources to guide pregnant migrants through healthy and harmful cultural food practices and overall nutrition during this crucial period. (PROSPERO Registration: CRD42023409990).

Cross-cultural food practices and nutrition seeking behaviors among pregnant and postpartum Indian women living in Australia

No research has explored the experiences of Indian women who become pregnant after they migrate to Australia, and how their existing traditions mix with their new environment and subsequently impact eating patterns. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven women of Indian heritage who were living in Australia, and data were thematically analyzed. The researchers identified two main themes were identified (a) foods to eat and which to avoid, and (b) support networks and sources of health information during pregnancy. Women get advice and information from a range of sources and have diverse attitudes and beliefs about cultural food practices. that are both rigid and flexible, as well as traditional and contemporary.

Association Between Infants Anthropometric Outcomes With Maternal AHEI-P and DII Scores

The present study sought to examine the association between an infant's anthropometric outcomes with maternal Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Alternate Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P) scores during the third trimester of pregnancy. This prospective cohort study was applying 130 pregnant women, at the pregnancy training center in west Tehran, Iran (November 2020 to July 2021). The maternal dietary intake, and body mass index (BMI), and social economic level were evaluated. The data about birth weight, birth height, head circumference, and, gestational age at birth were extracted from each child's health records. The ultimate sample included 122 (93.8%) pairs of women/newborn children. The participants, mean age was 28.13 ± 4.66 years with gestational age between 28 to 40 weeks and the mean of BMI was 24.62 ± 3.51. Our outcomes, after adjustment for confounding factors, suggested that those newborn infants in the highest quartile of maternal DII score had a significantly lower weight (p < 0.001) and height (p = 0.05), in comparison to those in the lowest quartile, but not head circumference (p = 0.18). Moreover, after adjustment for confounding factors, results suggested that those newborn infants in the First quartile of maternal AHEI-P score had a significantly lower weight (p = 0.018) and, in comparison to those in the higher quartile. It appears that newborn infants with lower maternal DII and higher AHEI-P scores may have a better anthropometric outcome. Further longitudinal and in-depth qualitative and quantitative studies, with a longer-term follow-up, is warranted to support the integrity of our outcomes.

Food taboo and dietary habits among low-income people in Kedah, Malaysia

Food beliefs and taboos about certain foods influence the use and consumption of food in the household. Today, especially in rural areas, some people believe certain foods affect health. This practice has resulted in the non-optimized intake of some food categories. As a result, it is not easy to diversify the types of food for daily diet. This study aims to investigate the beliefs and convictions of rural communities in Kedah regarding certain foods that may influence health. This study also identified the pattern of food intake among residents in rural areas of Kedah State following the belief that some foods can affect health. This study focuses on the rural areas of Kedah State, which include Kubang Pasu, Baling, Pendang, Alor Setar, and Kuala Muda districts. A total of 225 farmers in the rural areas of the selected districts were selected using stratified random sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and food intake results. The results of the study show that low-income residents in rural areas of Kedah believe that some foods have an impact on health. A total of 37.11% believe that coffee, carbonated drinks, fresh milk, and low-fat milk cause headaches, stomach aches, heartburn, and nausea, followed by 18.66% who admit that spicy foods such as mutton, beef, and durian cause headaches, high blood pressure and skin problems. The impact of the food taboo has resulted in an overall food consumption rate below 29.9 in households of low-income residents in rural areas in Kedah State. The study's findings suggest that the Malaysian Ministry of Health should develop nutrition and health awareness programs and activities for the rural population. At the same time, there is a need for a comprehensive restructuring of the curriculum and syllabus by addressing the need for healthy eating as early as primary school so that nutrition and health awareness can be embedded in early childhood education.

Taboos, food avoidances, and diseases: Local epistemologies of health among Coastal Endenese in Eastern Indonesia

To advance interventions targeting malnutrition among small-scale fishing societies, knowledge on the role played by taboos and dietary avoidances on the consumption of fish related products becomes crucial. The article builds upon ethnographic fieldwork (participant observation, focus groups and interviews), dietary questionnaires (n: 112), and archival research among Coastal Endenese in Eastern Indonesia to understand the role played by taboos and dietary preferences in regulating intake of marine products. Moving beyond binary notions of “good” and “bad” when considering the food-system implications of taboos, it explores how local beliefs about illness and food shape dietary practices that can have concrete consequences for an individual's health. Endenese consider fish as having originated from terrestrial creatures, creating a continuous cycle of movement from land to sea and back. Within this cosmology, food is seen as a medium that can bring about healthy outcomes but also disease. Results emphasize the need to understand taboos and food avoidances within the larger cosmological and religious system but also underscore the changing nature of dietary preferences and values due to market integration processes which may have long-term repercussions on health. This information is key to the design of culturally sensitive dietary strategies and alternative livelihoods approaches that seek to minimize poverty.

Food taboos during pregnancy: meta-analysis on cross cultural differences suggests specific, diet-related pressures on childbirth among agriculturalists

Pregnancy is the most delicate stage of human life history as well as a common target of food taboos across cultures. Despite puzzling evidence that many pregnant women across the world reduce their intake of nutritious foods to accomplish cultural norms, no study has provided statistical analysis of cross-cultural variation in food taboos during pregnancy. Moreover, antenatal practices among forager and agriculturalists have never been compared, despite subsistence mode being known to affect staple foods and lifestyle directly. This gap hinders to us from understanding the overall threats attributed to pregnancy, and their perceived nutritional causes around the world. The present study constitutes the first cross-cultural meta-analysis on food taboos during pregnancy. We examined thirty-two articles on dietary antenatal restrictions among agricultural and non-agricultural societies, in order to: (i) identify cross-culturally targeted animal, plant and miscellaneous foods; (ii) define major clusters of taboo focus; (iii) test the hypothesis that food types and clusters of focus distribute differently between agricultural and non-agricultural taboos; and (iv) test the hypothesis that food types distribute differently across the clusters of taboo focus. All data were analysed in SPSS and RStudio using chi-squared tests and Fisher's exact tests. We detected a gradient in taboo focus that ranged from no direct physiological interest to the fear of varied physiological complications to a very specific concern over increased birth weight and difficult delivery. Non-agricultural taboos were more likely to target non-domesticated animal foods and to be justified by concerns not directly linked to the physiological sphere, whereas agricultural taboos tended to targed more cultivated and processed products and showed a stronger association with concerns over increased birth weight. Despite some methodological discrepancies in the existing literature on food taboos during pregnancy, our results illustrate that such cultural traits are useful for detecting perception of biological pressures on reproduction across cultures. Indeed, the widespread concern over birth weight and carbohydrate rich foods overlaps with clinical evidence that obstructed labor is a major threat to maternal life in Africa, Asia and Eurasia. Furthermore, asymmetry in the frequency of such concern across subsistence modes aligns with the evolutionary perspective that agriculture may have exacerbated delivery complications. This study highlights the need for the improved understanding of dietary behaviors during pregnancy across the world, addressing the role of obstructed labor as a key point of convergence between clinical, evolutionary and cultural issues in human behavior.

Predictors of Major Dietary Patterns Among Pregnant Women Attending Public Health Facilities in Eastern Ethiopia: A New Epidemiological Approach

Background

Dietary pattern analysis is a robust statistical procedure that efficiently characterize the dietary intakes of individuals. However, there is a lack of robust dietary intake evidence beyond nutrient intake in Ethiopia. This study was to answer, what are the major dietary consumption patterns and its predictors among pregnant women in Ethiopia.

Methods

A facility-based survey among 380 randomly selected pregnant women using a contextualized food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) over 1 month recall was used. The frequency of food consumption was standardized to daily frequency equivalents, and a sequential exploratory factor analysis was used to derive major dietary patterns. A multivariable ordinary logistic regression model was fitted with all its assumptions.

Results

Three major dietary patterns (“fruits and animal-source foods,” “cereals, tubers, and sweet foods,” “legumes and vegetables”), explaining 65% of the total variation were identified. Women snacks (AOR = 1.93; 1.23–2.75), without food aversion (AOR = 1.59; 1.08–2.35), non-fasting (AOR = 0.75; 1.12–2.12), and receiving nutritional counseling (AOR = 1.96; 1.25–3.07) were significantly positively associated with a higher tercile of fruits and animal-source food consumption. Non-working mothers (AOR = 1.8;1.23–2.76), chronic disease (AOR = 1.88; 1.14–3.09), or received nutritional counseling (AOR = 1.33; 0.88–2.01), were fasting (AOR = 1.33;0.88–2.01), and no food cravings (AOR = 4.27;2.67–6.84), and aversion (AOR = 1.60;1.04–2.44) had significantly higher odds of consuming cereals, tubers, and sweet foods. Literacy (AOR = 1.87; 1.14–3.09), urban residence (AOR = 2.10; 1.10–3.93), low socioeconomic class (AOR = 2.68; 1.30–5.23), and skipping meals (AOR = 1.73; 1.15–2.62) were associated with higher odds of legume and vegetable consumption.

Conclusion

Socioeconomic class, literacy, occupation, getting nutritional counseling, habits of food craving, food aversion, and fasting can predict a woman’s dietary pattern.

Weight Gain and Nutrition during Pregnancy: An Analysis of Clinical Practice Guidelines in the Asia-Pacific Region

Nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy can influence the life-course health of offspring. Clinical practice guidelines play an important role in ensuring appropriate nutrition and weight gain among pregnant women. This study aims to identify clinical practice guidelines on gestational weight gain and/or maternal nutrition across the Asia-Pacific region and to determine the quality of the guidelines and variability in the recommendations. Through a systematic search of grey literature from 38 Asia-Pacific countries, 23 published guidelines were obtained. Of these, 10 eligible clinical practice guidelines reporting nutrition- or/and weight-related recommendations for pregnant women were selected and reviewed. Guideline quality was determined using the Assessment of Guidelines for Research Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument. Of the 10 guidelines, 90% were classified as low-quality in the AGREE II appraisal. Several variations were found with respect to recommendations on gestational weight gain, including those specific to Asian populations. The recommendations on dietary advice, additional energy intake, and nutritional supplementation during pregnancy were varied. Clinical practice guidelines on weight gain and nutrition in pregnancy across the Asia-Pacific region are generally of poor quality, reflecting significant variation, and need to be improved to ensure pregnant women receive appropriate advice. (PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021291395).

Husband’s Perception on Anemia among Pregnant Women based on Cultural Perspective: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Anemia is one of the most common nutritional problems during pregnancy. Husbands have an important role in supporting their wives in pregnancy to prevent complications. Husband’s culture and beliefs will affect support for the health status of pregnant women. AIM: This study aims to explore husbands’ perceptions regarding anemia and cultural beliefs related to pregnancy. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted using twelve in-depth interviews (IDIs) with husbands who have pregnant wives who were recruited through a purposive sampling method. Data were collected through IDIs using open-ended questions to gain insight about Husband’s Perception on Anemia among Pregnant Women based on Cultural Perspective. Data analysis was conducted by an inductive content analysis method to evaluate, encode, and analyze the interview’s result. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from interviews: (1) Husbands’ happiness and support to their wives during pregnancy; (2) Husbands’ perceptions and actions related to anemia symptoms; (3) Cultural beliefs during pregnancy believed by Acehnese people; and (4) the importance of local wisdom-based counseling. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide new insights into how husbands’ perceptions on anemia during pregnancy, how they support their pregnant wives, and what their believed in cultural views about pregnancy. These findings would assist in developing/adapting more strategic policies to prevent anemia in pregnancy.

Lived experiences of women with low birth weight infants in the Solomon Islands: A descriptive qualitative study

Every year, around 20 million women worldwide give birth to low birth weight (LBW) infants, with majority of these births occurring in low-and middle-income countries, including the Solomon Islands. Few studies have explored the pregnancy lived experience of women who deliver LBW infants. The aim of the study is to understand the lived experience of women in the Solomon Islands who gave birth to LBW infants by exploring their personal (socio-demographic and health), behavioural, social and environmental contexts. We used a qualitative descriptive approach and purposely selected 18 postnatal women with LBW infants in the Solomon Islands for an in-depth interview. All data were analysed using thematic analysis in NVivo. We identified six themes reported as being related to LBW: health issues, diet and nutrition, substance use, domestic violence, environmental conditions and antenatal care. Our findings suggest that women in the Solomon Islands are exposed to various personal, behavioural, social and environmental risk factors during pregnancy that can impact birth outcomes, particularly LBW. We recommend further research should be redirected to look at the factors/themes identified in the interviews.

Pantangan Makanan pada Suku Muyu di Papua

ABSTRACT Background: Food for the Muyu tribe was an actualization of daily life over the belief in the religious dimension that is adopted and lived. This study aims to explore the food taboo among the Muyu tribe in Indonesia.Methods: The authors conducted the case study in Mindiptana, Boven Digoel, Papua. The study carried out data collection by participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and document searches. The authors carried out the report using an ethnographic approach an emically perspective.Results: Belief in the lord of wild animals, the lord of fruits and plants, and the lord of sago, was so thick that many spells appear to hunt and search for food in the forest, which was a form of recognition of the power of these. The Muyu tribe had restrictions on several types of food. Food can be taboo based on its physical form; meanwhile, because of Muyu people's belief that there was a bad quality inherent in these food ingredients. It was especially closely related to ritual practice for men as a process of undergoing initiation as a big man. The Muyu intended women taboo for mothers who are pregnant and breastfeeding. Abstinence for pregnant Muyu women was often related to the fetus in the womb. For children, especially for boys, it was almost the same as abstinence for adult Muyu men. This abstinence applies to boys who were prepared to be tómkót, especially when undergoing the initiation process.Conclusions: The food taboo applies to all Muyu people, both men, women, and children.

Low Daily Intake of Fruits and Vegetables in Rural and Urban Bangladesh: Influence of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors, Social Food Beliefs and Behavioural Practices

Bangladesh is facing a large burden of non-communicable diseases. As a possible remedy, the WHO/FAO recommends consuming 400 g or five servings of fruits and vegetables every day; however, only a small proportion of the population practices this. The present study sets out to determine the sociodemographic factors that affect this low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the roles that beliefs and behavioural practices play in influencing food consumption. Logistic and ordered logistic regressions were used to identify what sociodemographic factors are significantly influencing fruit and vegetable intake, and to explain the role of social food beliefs. It was found that in Bangladesh 75% of urban and 92% of rural populations consume less than five servings a day. While gender was not found to be a significant factor, housewives appeared to be more at risk of a lower intake of fruits and vegetables. People with higher income, higher education, and who are older were all less likely to have problems with a low intake of fruits and vegetables. Higher education assisted in attaining positive beliefs and behavioural practices regarding food, while residing in a rural community was found to be a significant constraint.

Tradition, taste and taboo: the gastroecology of maternal perinatal diet

BACKGROUND

Maternal malnutrition is a major source of regional health inequity and contributes to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Bihar, a state in eastern India adjacent to Jharkhand and West Bengal, has relatively high neonatal mortality rates because a large portion of infants are born to young mothers. Bihar has the second-highest proportion of underweight children under 3 in India, with infant mortality rates of 48 per 1000 live births. Maternal malnutrition remains a major threat to perinatal health in Bihar, where 58.3% of pregnant women are anaemic.

METHODS

We examined dietary beliefs and practices among mothers, mothers-in-law and community members, including Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), using focus group discussions (n=40 groups, 213 participants), key informant interviews (n=50 participants) and quantitative surveys (n=1200 recent mothers and 400 community health workers). We report foods that are added/avoided during the perinatal period, along with stated reasons underlying food choice. We summarise the content of the diet based on responses to the quantitative survey and identify influencers of food choice and stated explanations for adding and avoiding foods.

KEY FINDINGS

Analyses for all methodologies included gathering frequency counts and running descriptive statistics by food item, recommendation to eat or avoid, pregnancy or post partum, food group and health promoting or risk avoiding. During pregnancy, commonly added foods were generally nutritious (milk, pulses) with explanations for consuming these foods related to promoting health. Commonly avoided foods during pregnancy were also nutritious (wood apples, eggplant) with explanations for avoiding these foods related to miscarriage, newborn appearance and issues with digestion. Post partum, commonly added foods included sweets because they ease digestion whereas commonly avoided foods included eggplants and oily or spicy foods. Family, friends, relatives or neighbours influenced food choice for both mothers and ASHAs more than ASHAs and other health workers.Perinatal dietary beliefs and behaviours are shaped by local gastroecologies or systems of knowledge and practice that surround and inform dietary choices, as well as how those choices are explained and influenced. Our data provide novel insight into how health influencers operating within traditional and biomedical health systems shape the perinatal dietary beliefs of both mothers and community health workers.

Pregnancy Fasting in Ramadan: Toward a Biocultural Framework

Pregnancy fasting poses a paradox: why would a woman restrict her diet during a period of increased nutritional need? This qualitative, cross-sectional study applied biological and cultural evolutionary theories of pregnancy diet to emic models of fasting with the aim of establishing a testable biocultural framework of pregnancy fasting. The research took place with Muslim women residing in Mysore, India. In-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women who have experience and knowledge of fasting during during the holy month of Ramadan. Our findings indicate that pregnancy fasting is socially acquired via multiple modes of transmission and that women do not fast according to mainstream evolutionary theories of pregnancy diet, but perhaps to gain moral capital.

Healthy Diet Perceptions of Pregnant Women from Sub-Saharan Africa Residing in the U.S

Several consumers lack a clear understanding of what makes a healthy diet. This uncertainty may be worsened by immigration due to socio-cultural differences. The purpose of this study was to explore Sub-Saharan African (SSA) pregnant women's perceptions of a healthy diet and the sources of dietary information available to them in the context of immigration. We used narrative interviews and photo-food diaries, followed by photo-elucidated interviews to obtain data. Participants defined and illustrated a healthy diet as having four characteristics: (a) Familiar, (b) balanced, (c) made of fresh and organically grown ingredients, and (d) able to build the consumer's body. Participants indicated that the overwhelming nature of dietary information made it difficult to navigate. Participants trusted dietary recommendations offered by family and peers the most, while those offered by health care providers were reported to be difficult to understand or incorporate due to not being culturally specific. This paper highlights the importance of considering consumers' socio-cultural backgrounds and building partnerships between health care providers and the communities they serve to design culturally relevant dietary education.

“Diberi air gula… awalnya nangis menjadi diam, karena kenyang, gak lemas, daya tahan tubuhnya meningkat”; Studi Pola Asupan pada Bayi

Background: Babies were vulnerable to health and nutrition problems. WHO states that 60% of deaths of children under five were caused by malnutrition. Of these, two-thirds of them were caused by improper feeding of babies. Objective: to describe patterns of food intake in infants in Kepung Village, Kediri District.Methods: The study was designed qualitatively with an ethnographic approach. Data collection was performed using in-depth interviews and participatory observation. The study was conducted in Kepung Village, Kediri, East Java. The process of collecting data was done by researchers by staying with the target for 6 months. Results: The pattern of intake in infants aged 0-6 months in Kepung Village was not only given breast milk but was given food in the form of formula milk, sugar water and ‘kepok’ banana. When the mother or caregiver feels that the baby was still hungry, it will be given food intake other than the milk. The practice of feeding was inseparable from the influence of hereditary belief, where sugar water was believed to make the baby not fussy because the baby becomes full and healthy. Conclusion: The pattern of intake in infants in Kepung Village was very varied. Not only breast milk, babies have also been given mashed up adult food. People in Kepung Village also have a habit of giving their babies sugar water. ABSTRAKLatar Belakang: Bayi adalah masa yang rentan terhadap masalah kesehatan dan gizi. WHO menyatakan bahwa 60% kematian anak balita disebabkan oleh keadaan kurang gizi. Dari jumlah tersebut, dua per tiga diantaranya disebabkan oleh pemberian makan yang kurang tepat.Tujuan: Penelitian ditujukan untuk menggambarkan pola asupan pada bayi di Desa Kepung, Kabupaten Kediri.Metode: Studi didesain secara kualitatif dengan pendekatan etnografi. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode wawancara mendalam dan observasi partisipatif. Studi dilakukan di Desa Kepung, Kecamatan Kepung, Kabupaten Kediri, Jawa Timur. Proses pengumpulan data dilakukan oleh peneliti dengan tinggal bersama target. Peneliti lived in di lokasi penelitian selama 6 bulan.Hasil: Pola asupan pada bayi usia 0-6 bulan di Desa Kepung tidak hanya diberikan ASI saja, tapi diberikan makanan berupa susu formula, air gula dan pisang kepok. Praktik pemberian makanan tersebut tidak terlepas dari pengaruh kepercayaan yang turun-temurun, yang mana air gula diyakini dapat membuat bayi tidak rewel karena bayi menjadi kenyang dan menyehatkan.Kesimpulan: Pola asupan pada bayi di Desa Kepung sangat bervariasi. Tidak hanya ASI, bayi juga sudah diberi makanan orang dewasa yang dilembutkan. Masyarakat di Desa Kepung juga memiliki kebiasaan memberikan bayinya air gula.

Acehnese Cultural Leaders’ Perspective on Anemia in Pregnant Women: A Qualitative Study

Introduction. Anemia during pregnancy is one of the commonest issues in pregnancy. Cultural belief is among the contributing factors to this problem. This study aims to explore the cultural leaders’ perception on Acehnese culture regarding anemia in pregnancy. Methods. The qualitative study was conducted using three in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion with Acehnese cultural leaders. Data analysis was conducted by the inductive content analysis method. Results. Four themes emerged from interviews and discussion: (1) cultural beliefs about anemia; (2) locally resourced food; (3) husband participation in preventing anemia during pregnancy; (4) do’s and don’ts. Conclusion. Our findings provide insight into how cultural leaders’ perceptions of anemia are in pregnancy and how they are integrated strongly into Acehnese people’s lives. These findings would assist in developing culturally adapted strategic policy to prevent anemia during pregnancy.