Diet Quality of Pregnant Women Attending an Antenatal Clinic in Nakuru, Kenya

Abstract

Background/Aims: To determine diet quality and common food sources of various nutrients of pregnant Kenyan women. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 716 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at the Provincial General Hospital, Nakuru, Kenya. Nutrient intake was estimated using the 24-hour dietary recall method. Results: Inadequate nutrient intake was found for energy, total folic acid, calcium, iron and zinc. Adequate intake was found for protein, fat, PUFA, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, vitamins A and C. Diet quality was poor as evidenced from the food sources of various nutrients. Maize flour was the most common source of the following nutrients: energy, protein, total folic acid, iron and zinc. Young women and those of low socio-economic status were at risk of inadequate intake of some of the nutrients. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate poor-quality diets of pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic, low in multiple micronutrients. Nutrient education for dietary diversification and nutrient supplementation should be explored as interventions for improving nutrient intake among pregnant women.

Dietary behaviour, food and nutrient intake of women do not change during pregnancy in Southern Ethiopia

“…The explanation for this discrepancy may be that the study participants might have reported reduced food intake expecting some sort of support from food relief programmes or any other. Several studies in rural areas of developing countries report similar scenarios regarding low energy intake (Kamau‐Mbuthia & Elmadfa ; Abebe et al . ; Huybregts et al .…”

“…). Also dietary intakes of pregnant women from Kenya were reported to be of poor dietary quality with low animal source foods and high maize intakes (Kamau‐Mbuthia & Elmadfa ). Studies from rural Bangladesh and northern Ethiopia reported similar findings in non‐pregnant women (Arsenault et al .…”

“…). Studies from rural Kenya and Bangladesh also demonstrated the dietary quality of women to be poor and very low in animal source foods (Kamau‐Mbuthia & Elmadfa ; Arsenault et al . ).…”

“…). Pregnant women from Kenya were also found to rely on diets poor in quality and diversity (Kamau‐Mbuthia & Elmadfa ).…”

Diet, ageing and genetic factors in the pathogenesis of diverticular disease

“…For example, the Kenyan staple is the cerealbased "Ugali", fish is common around the coasts, and there are regional preferences for mutton or goat [58] . The average Kenyan diet whilst being relatively high in fiber is also considered, for much of the population, to be total energy, macro and micronutrient deficient [59] . Similarly, the diet of poor urban South Africans may also be deficient in total energy and some macro and micronutrients, but in contrast to the Kenyan diet it is low in dietary fiber with an increasing emphasis on fat [60] .…”