Food Aversions and Cravings during Pregnancy: Prevalence and Significance for Maternal Nutrition in Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study of the nutritional significance of food aversions and cravings during pregnancy was conducted on 295 women in southern Ethiopia between February and May 1995. A questionnaire was used to collect data on dietary practices. Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT), and weight measurements were used to assess nutritional status. Slightly fewer than three-quarters (71%) of the women craved one or more foods, whereas about two-thirds (65%) avoided at least one food. Cereal foods, despite being staple foods in the area, were avoided by more women (41%) than any other foods. Livestock products, which were scarce at the time of the study, were craved by more women (55%) than any other foods. Comparisons using various anthropometric indicators revealed that women who avoided foods had significantly higher MUAC and TSFT than those who did not (p < .05), whereas there was no difference in nutritional status between women who craved foods and those who did not. However, those craving women who managed to get the desired foods had significantly higher weight gain (p < .05), but not significantly higher MUAC or TSFT, than those who did not. Aversion and craving were positively associated (χ 2 = 10.66, p < .001; odds ratio, 2.36). Thus, women who avoided foods were 2.4 times more likely to crave foods than those who did not avoid foods. This implies that aversion and craving are complementary processes geared towards ensuring optimal nutrition during pregnancy. Aversion results in the avoidance of monotonous diets, whereas craving calls for varied and nutritious foods. More research, however, is needed before such a conclusion is warranted.

Alteration of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels among Pregnant Women with Morning Sickness Attending Antenatal Care Services at Ishaka Adventist Hospital, Uganda

“…They contend that some cravings signal nutritional deficiencies so that the response becomes a mechanism to meet the bodies' need for extra calories. More so, cravings may be due to changing sensitivities, smell and tastes during pregnancy [26]. These findings agree with Crystal et al [4] who reported that women with severe nausea showed no association with cravings.…”

Innate food aversions and culturally transmitted food taboos in pregnant women in rural southwest India: Separate systems to protect the fetus?

“…Demissie et al (1998) proposed that, among pregnant women with limited access to food, aversions to staple foods would increase dietary diversity and access to micronutrients, a hypothesis supported by some studies (A. G. Young & Pike, 2012) but not others (Placek & Hagen, 2015).…”

“…Some studies in populations facing resource scarcity, however, have failed to support it. A study in southern Ethiopia for example, found that pregnant women avoided cereals, which were non-toxic staple foods, but craved meat and other livestock products, which were scarce (Demissie, Muroki, & Kogi-Makau, 1998). In Turkana pastoralists, I.…”

“…Shifts in dietary preferences might instead be a strategy to diversify nutrient intake for pregnant women with high levels of food insecurity or nutritional deficiencies (Demissie et al, 1998). East African women, for example, have reported aversions towards staple foods, such as maize, and cravings for meat and milk, two foods perceived by women to increase strength, but that are limited due to reduced food availability and low socioeconomic status (A.…”

Ethiopian Orthodox Fasting and Lactating Mothers: Longitudinal Study on Dietary Pattern and Nutritional Status in Rural Tigray, Ethiopia

“…Food taboos refer to those foods which are strictly forbidden for health, cultural, and religious reasons [13,14,15,16]. In Ethiopia, food taboos are thought to have been established during pregnancy as a means of protecting the health of women and their babies.…”