Cambios en el consumo alimentario y percepciones asociadas en mujeres embarazadas de la ciudad de Córdoba

Abstract

Diet can modulate health-disease processes, especially in the early stages of the life cycle. The food choices of pregnant women in relation to which they believe beneficial or harmful to their health and fetus can be defined as perceptions. The aim of this study was  to analyze possible changes in food consumption during pregnancy with regard  to  pre-pregnancy diet and its association with the perception of the effects of food on gestational health, in pregnant women attending health institutions in Córdoba city between  2021 and 2022. 

A prospective longitudinal observational study was conducted in a convenience sample of 49 pregnant women, who were interviewed twice. First, we used a questionnaire on bio-socio-cultural data, a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to evaluate pregestational consumption and a questionnaire that evaluated perceptions about the effect of diet on gestational health, through the assignment of a score on a scale of 0-to-10 (0=adverse effect; 10=favorable). After the 28th week of gestation, the same FFQ was applied, inquiring about gestational consumption. With the Stata.V17 software, the proportion of energy input of the food groups consumed before and during pregnancy was calculated. Matched means comparison tests were performed to assess differences between these consumption.The correlation between the scores assigned to the food groups and their gestational consumption was analyzed.

It was noted a significant decrease in consumption of legumes (p<0.0001), refined cereals (p=0.009), starchy vegetables (p=0.033), vegetables (p=0.028), cheeses (p=0.002), nuts/seeds (p=0.028), fatty foods (p=0.014) and alcoholic beverages (p=0.003). An increase in the consumption of sugary foods (p=0.040) was observed. The score assigned to fruits and vegetables (9.81), dairy (8.44), meats (8.32), sugary foods (2.81), alcoholic beverages (0.32) was not correlated with gestational consumption.

Diet in this group of pregnant women showed unhealthy changes despite their effect of certain food groups' perceptions (favorable-unfavorable) on gestational health.