Nutrition intervention program for the management of iron‐deficiency anemia in a group of pregnant women in Jordan

Abstract

The impact of a nutrition education intervention program on the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in a group of pregnant Jordanian women was evaluated. The program was based on planned meals from local food sources in combination with nutritional counseling as an alternative approach to more costly iron supplementation.Data on dietary intake, anthropometric measures, iron status indices and nutrition knowledge were used in evaluation of program effectiveness.The treatment group showed increased nutrition knowledge, more adequate nutrient intake, normal weight gain and better iron status than the control group, which received only usual care including limited nutrition counseling.Results of the study indicate the feasibility of the nutrition intervention program in the management of iron-deficiency and prevention of anemia in women from communities of low socio-economic status.

Nutritional Status and Nutritional Knowledge of Malay Pregnant Women in Selected Private Hospitals in Klang Valley

“…Result of this study is concurrent the fi nding of an intervention study targeted pregnant women with iron deficiency anaemia in Jordan (Elmasri & Yonus 1998). After the nutrition programme, the nutritional knowledge and better iron status was signifi cantly increased in the treatment group (haemoglobin level 12.2 ± 0.6 g/dL) compared with the control group (haemoglobin level 10.0 ± 0.6 g/dL) which indicates that better nutritional knowledge is linked with a higher haemoglobin level.…”