scholarly journals Food Taboos and Cultural Beliefs Influence Food Choice and Dietary Preferences among Pregnant Women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamuchirai Chakona ◽  
Charlie Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
River Valley ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Food Taboos

A well-nourished and healthy population is a central tenet of sustainable development. In South Africa, cultural beliefs and food taboos followed by some pregnant women influence their food consumption, which impacts the health of mothers and children during pregnancy and immediately afterwards. We documented food taboos and beliefs amongst pregnant isiXhosa women from five communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa. A mixed-methods approach was used, which was comprised of questionnaire interviews with 224 women and nine focus group discussions with 94 participants. Overall, 37% of the women reported one or more food practices shaped by local cultural taboos or beliefs. The most commonly avoided foods were meat products, fish, potatoes, fruits, beans, eggs, butternut and pumpkin, which are rich in essential micronutrients, protein and carbohydrates. Most foods were avoided for reasons associated with pregnancy outcome, labour and to avoid an undesirable body form for the baby. Some pregnant women consumed herbal decoctions for strengthening pregnancy, facilitating labour and overall health of both themselves and the foetus. Most learnt of the taboos and practices from their own mother or grandmother, but there was also knowledge transmission in social groups. Some pregnant women in the study may be considered nutritionally vulnerable due to the likelihood of decreased intake of nutrient-rich foods resulting from cultural beliefs and food taboos against some nutritious foods. Encouraging such women to adopt a healthy diet with more protein-rich foods, vegetables and fruits would significantly improve maternal nutrition and children’s nutrition. Adhering to culturally appropriate nutrition education may be an important care practice for many pregnant women in the Kat River Valley.

scholarly journals Food-related taboos and misconceptions during pregnancy among rural communities of Illu Aba Bor zone, Southwest Ethiopia. A community based qualitative cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dereje Tsegaye ◽  
Dessalegn Tamiru ◽  
Tefera Belachew
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Birth Outcome ◽  
Fetal Head ◽  
Health Extension Workers ◽  
Traditional Beliefs ◽  
Southwest Ethiopia ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Food Taboos

Abstract Background Poor maternal nutrition adversely affects pregnancy and birth outcomes. In many societies, there are dietary restrictions due to misconceptions or food taboos during pregnancy which consequently results in the depletion of important nutrients. These cultural malpractices and beliefs can influence the dietary intake of pregnant women which subsequently affects the birth outcome. The study aimed at exploring the extent of food taboos and misconceptions during pregnancy in rural communities of Illu Aba Bor Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods A qualitative study was conducted using an in-depth interviews of key informants and focus group discussions among purposively selected pregnant women and their husbands, health care workers, health extension workers, and elderly people. Data were transcribed verbatim, thematized; color-coded, and analyzed manually using the thematic framework method. Result Thorough reading and review of the transcripts generated three major themes. The primary theme was the belief and practice of taboos related to the intake of certain food items during pregnancy. Pregnant women, their husbands, and mothers-in-law believed that certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy. The second theme was foods that were held as taboo and the reason attached to it. The most common food items held as taboo were related to the consumption of vegetables like cabbage, pumpkin, milk and milk products, sugar cane, fruits like bananas and avocado and egg. The main reasons to avoid these foods were beliefs that it can be plastered on the fetal head, making fatty baby which is difficult for delivery. The third theme was the reasons underlying adherence to food taboos which is deeply embedded in the person’s believes and attitudes of the pregnant women, who were nested within the influence of the social environment surrounding them and the traditional beliefs and values of the society in general. Conclusions The results showed a widespread practice of food taboos during pregnancy in the study area. The finding suggested that there is a need for strengthening the nutrition counseling components of antenatal care follow-up and planning comprehensive nutrition education through involving important others to dispel such traditional beliefs and prevent food taboo practices in the study community.

scholarly journals Maternal Nutrition Education Provided by Midwives: A Qualitative Study in an Antenatal Clinic, Uganda

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Nankumbi ◽  
Tom Dennis Ngabirano ◽  
Gorrette Nalwadda
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Antenatal Clinic ◽  
Organization Mode ◽  
Healthy Habits ◽  
Service Training ◽  
Special Circumstances ◽  
Depth Interviews

Maternalnutrition during pregnancy affects the health of the mother and baby. The objective of this paper is to describe the maternal nutrition education offered by midwives to women attending an antenatal clinic. The study also examined the resources, support, and the needs of the midwives in offering the nutrition education. Six in-depth interviews with the midwives, six direct structured observations of the group education, and 12 one-on-one interactions of midwife and pregnant women observations were completed. The interviews and field observation notes were typed and analyzed using the latent content analysis. The emerging themes were the maternal nutrition education and the education needs of the midwives. The content and presentation of maternal nutrition were inadequate in scope and depth. The maternal nutrition education was offered to only pregnant women attending the first antenatal care visit. The routine antenatal education session lasted 45 minutes to 1 hour, covering a variety of topics, but the nutritional component was allotted minimal time (5–15 minutes). The organization, mode of delivery, guidelines, resources, and service environment were extremely deficient. The relevance of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, guidelines for healthy habits, avoidance of substance abuse, and nutrition precautions in special circumstances was missing in the nutrition presentation. Information, maternal nutrition education resources, infrastructure, and health system gaps were identified. There was an inefficient nutrition education offered to the pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic. As means of promoting effective nutrition education, appropriate in-service training, mentorship, and support for the midwives are needed, as well as infrastructural and resource provision.

scholarly journals Exploring Attitudes Toward Egg Consumption During Pregnancy in Kenya (P10-054-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Schnefke ◽  
Chessa Lutter ◽  
Faith Thuita ◽  
Albert Webale ◽  
Valerie Flax ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Birth Outcomes ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Dietary Recall ◽  
Egg Consumption

Abstract Objectives Eggs are nutrient-rich and have the potential to improve maternal nutrition during pregnancy and birth outcomes, but cultural beliefs may inhibit consumption during pregnancy. This study sought to understand pregnant women's and key influencers’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices as well as facilitators and barriers related to consuming eggs during pregnancy in Kenya. Methods The study was conducted in an urban (Nairobi) and rural (Kiambu) area, had 3 phases and primarily used mixed qualitative methods to triangulate data. Phase I included in-depth interviews, 24-hour dietary recall, and free-listing and pile-sorting exercises with pregnant women (n = 36), husbands (n = 12) and mothers-in-law (n = 12) of pregnant women, and health workers (n = 24). Phase II involved egg preparation exercises with pregnant women (n = 39). Phase III involved a week-long trial of egg consumption with pregnant women (n = 24). We used thematic content analysis methods to analyze qualitative data and tabulated quantitative data. Results All participants recognized eggs as nutritious for pregnant women and their unborn children, though only 25% of pregnant women consumed eggs the previous day. Participants believed eating too many eggs during pregnancy (1 or more eggs daily) leads to a large baby and complications during delivery. Unaffordability and unavailability of eggs also inhibit consumption. Health workers are the most trusted source of information on maternal nutrition, while other pregnant and nonpregnant women in the community were cited as those who most often discourage egg consumption. Fried and boiled eggs are the most common and preferred preparation methods due to ease and limited number of ingredients. Almost all women complied with the household trial, said they would continue eating eggs during pregnancy, and would recommend consuming eggs in moderation to other pregnant women. Conclusions Although participants believed consuming eggs during pregnancy is beneficial, cultural norms, practices, and beliefs may prevent pregnant women from eating them daily. Interpersonal communication from health workers and agricultural policies to promote affordability could lead to increased consumption, which in turn could have potential positive impacts on maternal nutrition and birth outcomes. Funding Sources RTI International.

scholarly journals Improving maternal nutrition for better pregnancy outcomes

2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. M. Nnam
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
Mother And Child Health ◽  
Mother And Child ◽  
Uterine Growth ◽  
Reproductive Life ◽  
Intra Uterine Growth Retardation

Much has been learned during the past several decades about the role of maternal nutrition in the outcome of pregnancy. While the bulk of the data is derived from animal models, human observations are gradually accumulating. There is need to improve maternal nutrition because of the high neonatal mortality rate especially in developing countries. The author used a conceptual framework which took both primary and secondary factors into account when interpreting study findings. Nutrition plays a vital role in reducing some of the health risks associated with pregnancy such as risk of fetal and infant mortality, intra-uterine growth retardation, low birth weight and premature births, decreased birth defects, cretinism, poor brain development and risk of infection. Adequate nutrition is essential for a woman throughout her life cycle to ensure proper development and prepare the reproductive life of the woman. Pregnant women require varied diets and increased nutrient intake to cope with the extra needs during pregnancy. Use of dietary supplements and fortified foods should be encouraged for pregnant women to ensure adequate supply of nutrients for both mother and foetus. The author concludes that nutrition education should be a core component of Mother and Child Health Clinics and every opportunity should be utilised to give nutrition education on appropriate diets for pregnant women.

scholarly journals Food related taboos and misconceptions during pregnancy among rural communities of Illu Aba Bor Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dereje Tsegaye ◽  
Dessalegn Tamiru ◽  
Tefera Belachew
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Birth Outcome ◽  
Traditional Beliefs ◽  
Southwest Ethiopia ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Food Taboos ◽  
Food Taboo

Abstract Background: Poor maternal nutrition adversely affects pregnancy and birth outcomes. In many societies, pregnant women have food taboos and misconceptions which consequently results in the depletion of vital nutrients. These cultural malpractices and beliefs can influence dietary intake of pregnant women which subsequently affects the birth outcome. This study aimed at exploring the extent of food taboos and misconceptions during pregnancy in rural communities of Illu Aba Bor Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews of key informants and focus group discussions among purposefully selected pregnant women and their husbands, elderly people, health workers and health extension workers. Data were transcribed verbatim, thematized; color coded and analyzed manually using the thematic framework method.Result: Thorough reading and review of the transcripts generated three major themes. The first theme was belief and practice of taboos related to the intake of certain food items during pregnancy. Pregnant women, their husbands and mothers- in- law believed that certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy. The second theme was foods that were held as taboo and the reason attached to the food taboos. The most common food items held as taboo were related to the consumption of vegetables like cabbage, pumpkin, milk and milk products, sugar cane, fruit like banana and avocado and egg and the main reasons to avoid these foods were a belief that it can be plastered on the fetal head, making fatty baby which is difficult for delivery. The third theme was the reasons underlying adherence to food taboos which is deeply embedded in the personal believes and attitudes of the pregnant women, who were nested within the influence of the social environment surrounding them and the traditional beliefs and values of the society in general. Conclusions: The results showed a widespread practice of food taboo during pregnancy in the study area. The finding suggested that there is a need for strengthening the nutrition counseling components of antenatal care follow-up and planning comprehensive nutrition education through involving important others to dispel such traditional beliefs and prevent food taboo practices in the study community.

scholarly journals Is It Possible to Promote Egg Consumption During Pregnancy? Findings From a Study on Knowledge, Perceptions, and Practices in Kenya

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney H. Schnefke ◽  
Chessa K. Lutter ◽  
Faith Thuita ◽  
Albert Webale ◽  
Valerie L. Flax ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Agricultural Policies ◽  
Egg Consumption ◽  
Almost All

Background: Eggs are nutrient rich and have the potential to improve maternal nutrition during pregnancy and birth outcomes, but cultural beliefs may inhibit consumption during pregnancy. Objective: To understand knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, practices, facilitators, and barriers related to consuming eggs during pregnancy in Kenya. Methods: The study had 3 phases. Phase I included in-depth interviews and free-listing and pile-sorting exercises with pregnant women (n = 36), husbands (n = 12), and mothers-in-law (n = 12) of pregnant women, and health providers (n = 24). Phase II involved egg preparation exercises with pregnant women (n = 39). Phase III involved a weeklong trial of egg consumption with pregnant women (n = 24). We used thematic content analysis methods to analyze qualitative data and tabulated quantitative data. Results: All participants recognized eggs as nutritious for pregnant women; 25% of pregnant women consumed eggs the previous day. However, participants believed eating too many eggs during pregnancy (1 or more eggs daily) leads to a large baby and delivery complications. Unaffordability and unavailability also inhibit consumption. Health workers are the most trusted source of information on maternal nutrition. Almost all women complied with the household trial, said they would continue eating eggs and would recommend eggs to other pregnant women in moderation. Conclusions: Although participants believed consuming eggs during pregnancy is beneficial, cultural norms, practices, and beliefs may prevent pregnant women from eating them daily. Interpersonal communication from health workers and agricultural policies to promote affordability could lead to increased consumption.

Risks of Anaemia Among Pre-School Children Following Maternal Nutrition Education and Counselling in Urban Informal Settlements of Nairobi, Kenya

2021 ◽  
pp. 0272684X2110225
Author(s):  
Carolyn Kemunto Nyamasege ◽  
Elizabeth W. Kimani-Murage ◽  
Jasper K. Imungi ◽  
Dasel W. M. Kaindi ◽  
Yukiko Wagatsuma
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Urban Slums ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Counseling Intervention

Slum environment may pose risk to child health and nutrition. This study assessed the risks of anemia among under five-year-old children, five years after implementing a nutrition education and counseling intervention in two urban slums in Nairobi, Kenya. A cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2018 as a follow-up of a randomized controlled study carried out between 2012–2015. A trained nurse measured hemoglobin levels of 438 children from households which participated in the initial study. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify risks of anemia. The mean (+ SD) age of the children was 55.9 (5.3) months and mean (+ SD) hemoglobin was 10.7 (1.5) g/dL. Anemia prevalence was 59.8%, 33.9% had mild, 24.7% moderate, and 1.2% severe anemia. Absence of home toilet (AOR = 3.31; 95% CI, 1.20–9.09), household which paid to use a toilet facility (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.12–3.08), child’s frequency of eating colored fruits and vegetables (AOR = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.08–0.96), meat and meat products (AOR = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.23–6.01), number of meals a child aged <15years ate a day preceding the study (AOR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.14–1.98), and a mother who had a history of anemia (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI, 1.22–12.01), were factors significantly associated with child’s anemia status. The environment of urban informal settings influences child anemia status. Further studies with interventions are therefore required in order to improve sanitation facilities and access to meats, fruits, and vegetables in urban slums through innovative kitchen gardens and small animal husbandry.

Factors associated with food taboos among pregnant women in the Dimma district, Gambella, Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Ageze Teshome ◽  
Beakal Zinab ◽  
Tekle Wakjira ◽  
Dessalegn Tamiru
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Odds Ratio ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Mustard Seed ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Food Taboos ◽  
Food Taboo ◽  
Key Informant

Background/Aims A food taboo is a food or drink that people are prohibited from consuming, often as a result of an incorrect perception of the food or for religious reasons, especially in low- and middle-income countries. During pregnancy, many women are subject to food taboos that can have deleterious effects on the fetus. This study aimed to assess the magnitude ofand factors associated with food taboos among pregnant women in Dimma district, Gambella, Ethiopia. The findings of this study can advise how to address the cultural malpractices that affect dietary behaviours of pregnant women, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 276 pregnant women from March 6 to May 8 2019, in Dimma district, Gambella. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and key informant interviews. A total of 14 key informant interviews were conducted. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to isolate independent predictors of food taboo practices. All tests were two sided and P<0.05 was used to set statistical significance. Qualitative data were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Results Over one-third (34.7%) of the study participants restricted themselves from at least one food item during pregnancy. Common food taboos were fruits, cereals, honey, sugarcane, garden cress, mustard seed and yam. The main reasons behind food taboos were fear of maternal and fetal complications, including abortion, cardiac problems and anaemia. Food taboo practice was more common in participants aged ≥25 years (adjusted odds ratio=2.72; P=0.002), who had only attended primary education (adjusted odd ratio=2.56, P=0.019) and had a gestational age ≥7 months (adjusted odds ratio=4.33, P<0.001). Conclusions More than one-third of pregnant mothers were practicing food taboos during pregnancy in Dimma Woreda, Gambella region, which was significantly associated with older participants and a lack of formal education. Therefore, intensive nutrition education should be given by both government and non-government organisations, focusing on pregnant women.

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