Yonna Sacre
Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon
Title: Evaluation of food behavior and nutritional status of pregnant women resident in Keserwan - Lebanon
Biography
Biography: Yonna Sacre
Abstract
Pregnancy, this particular moment in the life of a woman, requires monitoring of eating behavior changes. However, the food choices during pregnancy should be healthy, including the consumption of different food groups, and nutritional status is the process of acquisition and consumption of food. So a varied diet is associated with good nutritional status. This is why the nutrition education is a strategy commonly applied to improve maternal nutrition during pregnancy. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the eating behavior and nutritional status of pregnant women living in Keserwan. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feeding behavior, nutritional status and level of awareness of pregnant women residing in Keserwan. A cross-sectional descriptive study is carried out, two main types of research instruments. A questionnaire containing socio-demographic, personal information, questions on eating behavior, food frequency and nutritional education as well as laboratory tests already done by pregnant women. The total sample surveyed included 150 pregnant women between the ages of 18 and 40 years randomly selected from the hospitals and clinics of the Keserwan gynecologists and allocated in an equitable manner between two regions chosen according to altitude. The final analysis led to the results obtained 48.7% of pregnant women aged 30 to 40 years, 56% have a normal BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, 80.7% have acceptable food behavior, 68% have an acceptable level of awareness and half have an acceptable nutritional status. Thus age affects the eating behavior, so more pregnant women are older plus they have good eating behavior. It would be possible to institute an awareness-raising program in the aim of increasing the level of education of pregnant women with regard to eating behavior and nutritional status.
