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Food and nutrient intakes among pregnant women in rural Tamil Nadu, South India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Lena Theilgaard Andersen ,
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted ,
Birgitte Bruun Nielsen  and
Suguna Rangasamy
Lena Theilgaard Andersen
Affiliation:
Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark:
Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted*
Affiliation:
Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark:
Birgitte Bruun Nielsen
Affiliation:
Perinatal Epidemiological Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark:
Suguna Rangasamy
Affiliation:
1/81 E Thoppukkadu, Gnanasubramani Nagar, Fairlands, Salem 636016, Tamil Nadu, India
*
*Corresponding author: Email sht@kvl.dk
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Abstract

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Objectives:

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.

Design and subjects:

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.

Setting:

Rural parts of Salem District, Tamil Nadu, South India.

Results and conclusion:

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.

Keywords

Food intakeFolk dieteticsNutrition educationTamil NaduIndia
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 131 - 137
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2003

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