Pregnant women do not meet nutritional recommendations for vegetable, cereal, or folate intake very often revealed a latest study. The study published in the journal ‘Maternal & Child Nutrition’, said that many women do not take care of their diet during their pregnancy, which may prove detrimental later. The findings revealed that the participants did not meet iron or calcium intake requirements in 91 percent and 55 percent of the studies, respectively, and also exceeded fat intake recommendations in 55 percent of studies.
The study said that higher level of education was associated with improved adherence to dietary guidelines in pregnant women. Pregnant women who were older and did not smoke were associated with greater guideline adherence in both pre-conceptual and pregnant women.Scientists said that the findings suggest that pre-conceptual and pregnant women may not be meeting the minimum requirements of a healthy diet. It may potentially negative consequences for pregnancies and the overall health of offspring.
“The relationship between a healthy diet and birth outcomes is well-established, yet our research suggests women may not be following the guidelines developed to help them eat well, largely because they are unaware of the guidelines in the first place,” said corresponding author Cherie Caut, of Endeavour College of Natural Health, in Australia.
“The community needs better information about healthy eating in order to address this issue. Promoting links between diet and healthy pregnancy and birth, and increasing support for health professionals, may help better inform women and their partners about the importance of dietary choices on pregnancy success,” Caut added.
