Food Intake during Pregnancy and Nutritional Education during the Early Period of Pregnancy

• Published in: Eiyōgaku zasshi Vol. 61; no. 3; pp. 171 - 182
• Main Authors: Sakamoto, Hiroko, Miyoshi, Masamitsu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics 2003
• Subjects: calcium intake; eating behavior; food intake; nutritional education; pregnant woman
• ISSN: 0021-5147; 1883-7921
• DOI: 10.5264/eiyogakuzashi.61.171

The importance of a suitable diet during pregnancy is known for preventing osteoporosis in woman at an advanced age. This survey of eating behavior and food intake was conducted on a hundred pregnant women on three occasions at 3-4-month intervals during pregnancy. During the early stage of pregnancy, although their will to eat was generally higher than that before pregnancy, the food intake by the pregnant women was less without fruit and milk. A higher motivation for eating was apparent during the second stage of pregnancy, and they ate a wide range of foods. The mean daily intake of calcium and iron was less than the Japanese RDA during the early stage, so about 75% of the subjects participated in nutritional education. This education had a positive effect on the calcium intake and resulted in a significantly improved intake. The number of times the subjects underwent nutritional education during pregnancy was correlated with the nutrient intake, and those participating only three times had the lowest nutrient intake. These results suggest that effective nutritional education is the key to ensure good dietary habits from the early stage of pregnancy.