Nutritional behavior of pregnant women from the Podkarpacie province

Abstract

Introduction. Healthy nutrition is very important during pregnancy for both a baby and a mother. Modification of metabolic and hormonal processes i.e. metabolic programming occurs already at the prenatal stage. This process significantly affects the baby’s health and eating habits at a later age. The diet of a pregnant woman should supplement the demand for energy, nutrients, vitamins and minerals. An expecting woman needs to also avoid products that are contraindicated during this period, such as raw milk, eggs or meat. Aim. Assessment of nutritional behavior of pregnant women from the Podkarpacie province. Materials and method. 228 women living in the Podkarpackie province were enrolled in the study. Surveys were collected via the Internet. An anonymous questionnaire developed by the authors was used. Results. Women’s eating habits are primarily influenced by education. Most women had knowledge about proper nutrition and awareness of its impact on the health of the baby. A worrying fact was a very low intake of dairy products. 44% of women consumed dairy products only once a day. Fruit and vegetables consumption was also low (40% of the respondents ate only from 100 to 200 g during the day). Conclusions. Although part of the eating habits of pregnant women is correct, nutritional education should be introduced in this group, especially related to the adequate supply of dairy products, fruit and vegetables to supplement the necessary vitamins, minerals and protein.