Nutritional Health Knowledge and Literacy among Pregnant Women in the Czech Republic: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Dietary Habits of Pregnant Women in Spain: The Role of Nutrition Education in Midwife Consultations

Background & Objectives: Correct nutrition during pregnancy is key to guaranteeing success at this stage of a woman's life, and nutritional education is the fundamental tool for achieving this. Studies carried out in different countries indicate that pregnant women do not comply with dietary and nutritional recommendations. Given the lack of evidence available in Spain and the importance of this knowledge to be able to assess the need for nutritional intervention in this group, the aim of this study focused on the current status of the issue in Spain: the quality of the diet of Spanish pregnant women and its conditioning factors. Methods: Two representative regions of the country were selected, one located in the north of Spain (Burgos) and the other in the south (Granada), and a descriptive, cross-sectional observational study (sample size: 771) was carried out using a questionnaire administered at the University Hospital of Burgos and the Hospital Clínico San Cecilio in Granada, which had previously been subjected to a process of evaluation by expert judgement. Results: Pregnant women presented an adequate diet quality (8.0 ± 2.0), according to the questionnaire used, despite their poor knowledge of food and nutrition (4.9 ± 1.6 out of 10). However, deficiencies were detected in the consumption of very interesting food groups from a nutritional point of view, such as legumes, nuts and fish (just 29.4%, 37.6% and 24.8% of the pregnant women met the recommendations, respectively) and insufficient physical exercise. The eating habits of pregnant women depend on their age, their country of origin, their level of education, their pre-pregnancy BMI, the knowledge acquired during pregnancy and the degree to which they put into practice the advice received from their midwife. Most pregnant women do not change their habits during pregnancy, although there are positive trends in this respect. Conclusion: The quality of the diet of the Spanish pregnant women surveyed, and their level of physical activity, could be improved by enhancing the nutritional education they receive during this stage of life. The role of the dietician in this respect, as part of multidisciplinary teams, should be the basis for future research.

Social and Nutritional Profiles of Pregnant Women: A Cluster Analysis on the "MAMI-MED" Cohort

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

During the pre-conceptional period, addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) is essential for reducing maternal health disparities, particularly among disadvantaged groups. Key SDOH factors such as income, education, and healthcare access significantly influence maternal and infant outcomes, increasing risks like miscarriage, preterm birth, and pregnancy complications. Here, we aimed to explore maternal and neonatal characteristics according to socio-economic status. Thus, we identified clusters of pregnant women with similar social and behavioral characteristics and explored their variability in terms of neonatal outcomes.

METHODS

Data from 1512 pregnant women in the "MAMI-MED" cohort at ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima in Catania were analyzed. A two-step cluster analysis grouped the women based on education level, employment status, pre-pregnancy nutritional status, and Mediterranean diet score (MDS).

RESULTS

Two clusters of pregnant women were identified. Cluster 1 (n = 739) consisted of women with lower educational attainment who were unemployed, overweight and/or obese, and had a lower mean MDS. Instead, cluster 2 (n = 773) was mostly characterized by women with a medium-high level of education who were employed, had normal weight, and had a higher average MDS. Women in cluster 1 had significantly higher proportions of preterm births (p = 0.004), low-birth weight newborns (p = 0.002), and large-for-gestational-age newborns. Differences in gestational week (p < 0.001), birth weight (p < 0.001), and newborn length (p = 0.004) were also noted between the two clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

Cluster analysis can help identify high-risk groups who may benefit from personalized public health interventions. Our results highlight the need to examine the complex interactions between socio-demographic, behavioral, and genetic factors that contribute to maternal-infant health.

Dietary Habits and Nutritional Knowledge of Pregnant Women: The Importance of Nutrition Education

A good diet during pregnancy is associated with improvements to maternal and fetal health. Nevertheless, excessive weight gain during pregnancy has been reported in several studies. The aim of this review is to determine the dietary habits of pregnant women (measured according to their degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, a reference in dietary quality), their knowledge of food and nutrition, and their perceptions of the nutritional education received during their pregnancy, in order to detect intervention needs within that group. The bibliographic search was conducted on three databases (Medline, PubMed central, and Web of Science), using the keywords "pregnancy", "Mediterranean diet", "nutrition knowledge", "nutritional education", and some synonyms. The final selection included 68 original articles. The available evidence indicated that, although pregnant women were aware of the importance of nutrition during pregnancy, their habits showed some room for improvement in terms of diet and physical exercise. Lack of adequate advice was the main barrier to the practice of healthy habits that pregnant women encountered; they considered that the information they received during pregnancy follow-up visits was inadequate. However, the success of interventions within different countries is a source of hope for well-structured nutrition education throughout pregnancy. The lack of nutrition-related knowledge among pregnant women could be originally related to poorly planned nutrition education from healthcare providers. Research focused on the consultations with these healthcare providers could be of help when proposing strategies to improve the content, the depth, and the duration of nutrition education sessions. It should, in any case, be noted that the available evidence in this field is limited to certain geographical origins. Therefore, research that uncovers evidence in different countries will be useful for learning about the factors that condition the habits of pregnant women and, in that way, guide strategies for the improvement of the health of expectant mothers during that stage in their lives.

"When we have served meat, my husband comes first": A qualitative analysis of child nutrition among urban and rural communities of Rwanda

BACKGROUND

Stunting among children under five years of age is a global public health concern, especially in low-and middle-income settings. Emerging evidence suggests a gradual reduction in the overall prevalence of stunting in Rwanda, necessitating a qualitative understanding of the contributing drivers to help develop targeted and effective strategies. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of women and men to identify key issues that influence childhood nutrition and stunting as well as possible solutions to address the problem.

METHODS

Ten (10) focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with fathers and mothers of children under five years of age from five districts, supplemented by forty (40) in-depth interviews (IDIs) with Nurses and Community Health Workers (CHWs). Transcripts were coded inductively and analysed thematically using Dedoose (version 9.0.86).

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: (1) Awareness of a healthy diet for pregnant women, infants, and children with subthemes Knowledge about maternal and child nutrition and feeding practices; (2) Personal and food hygiene is crucial while handling, preparing, and eating food with subthemes, food preparation practices and the feeding environment (3) factors influencing healthy eating among pregnant women, infants, and children with subthemes; Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among pregnant women and children.

CONCLUSION

Several factors influence child stunting, and strategies to address them should recognise the cultural and social contexts of the problem. Prioritisation of nutrition-based strategies is vital and should be done using a multifaceted approach, incorporating economic opportunities and health education, especially among women, and allowing CHWs to counsel households with conflicts.

Clinical Study on the Implications of Immunological Markers in the Diagnosis of Periodontitis in People with Diabetes Mellitus

The basic idea from which the working hypothesis for this study started is the fact that the only systemic disease today that is clearly linked to periodontal disease by biochemical mechanisms is diabetes mellitus, as well as the clinical finding that diabetes causes a number of specific periodontal changes. Highlighting the biochemical markers of inflammation during periodontal disease in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is the main aim of the study. To achieve this objective, we used the human ELISA kit from Boster Biological Technology Co., Ltd. (Pleasanton, CA, USA), for the detection of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8 and TNF-α. The data analysis shows that plasma levels of these cytokines are associated with the progression of periodontitis. In conclusion, we can state that the involvement of immunological markers is evident in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Effects of a Comprehensive Dietary Intervention Program, Promoting Nutrition Literacy, Eating Behavior, Dietary Quality, and Gestational Weight Gain in Chinese Urban Women with Normal Body Mass Index during Pregnancy

In urban Chinese women with normal body weight during pregnancy, we implemented a comprehensive dietary intervention program aimed at enhancing nutrition literacy, dietary quality, and gestational weight gain. The methods included both online and offline health education on prenatal nutrition, weekly weight monitoring, family back education practices, and real-time dietary guidance. The intervention was delivered to randomly assigned control and intervention group participants from gestational week 12 to week 24. The intervention group (n = 44; 100% complete data) showed significant differences (mean (SD)) compared to the control group (n = 42; 95.5% complete data) in nutrition literacy (53.39 ± 6.60 vs. 43.55 ± 9.58, p < 0.001), restrained eating (31.61 ± 7.28 vs. 28.79 ± 7.96, p < 0.001), Diet Quality Distance (29.11 ± 8.52 vs. 40.71 ± 7.39, p < 0.001), and weight gain within the first 12 weeks of intervention (4.97 ± 1.33 vs. 5.98 ± 2.78, p = 0.029). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of gestational diabetes (2 (4.5%) vs. 4 (9.5%), p = 0.629). Participants in the intervention group reported an overall satisfaction score of 4.70 ± 0.46 for the intervention strategy. These results emphasize the positive role of comprehensive dietary intervention in promoting a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Nutrition knowledge among pregnant women in Lebanon: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Women's knowledge of the nutritional guidelines during pregnancy can affect the health and nutritional status of both mother and child. Having good nutritional information related to maternal dietary intake and healthy lifestyles is therefore of great importance. However, there is limited published research that demonstrates pregnant women's knowledge of the nutritional guidelines during pregnancy in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the knowledge on food sources and energy recommendations as well as food safety practices and diet-health relationship among women during pregnancy in Lebanon.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The study was conducted at prenatal care clinics in Lebanon, and all pregnant women present, regardless of nationality, were invited to complete the self-administered nutrition knowledge questionnaire. The study assessed five different nutrition knowledge domains (food sources of nutrients, dietary behaviors, food safety knowledge, micronutrients for fetal development, and energy requirements and weight gain) and the demographic characteristics of pregnant women who completed a multidimensional online survey based on validated and existing measures.

RESULTS

Four-hundred and ten responses were obtained. Approximately half of respondents (47%) held a university degree, for 42% of women this was their first pregnancy, and 71% had a planned pregnancy. Among the different nutrition knowledge domains, the highest levels of knowledge were for the behaviors that can minimize the effect of nausea/vomiting, heartburn, and constipation during pregnancy (63.9%) and the lowest levels of knowledge was for the importance of iodine and omega-3 fatty acids in pregnancy (28.4%). Most of females knew about food safety practices during pregnancy (72.9%) but less than half were knowledgeable about listeriosis contamination (45.9%), and the types of fish that are the safest to select during pregnancy (47.8%).

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that pregnant women had an adequate level of knowledge in different nutrition-related areas, there was inadequate level of awareness related to critical nutrients and behaviors that can have adverse effects on mother and/or baby. Therefore, there is a need to focus on specific maternal nutrition aspects such as iron-rich foods, listeriosis food contamination, and nutrients that aid in fetal brain and retina development.