The nutritional status of a group of pregnant women and its relationship with socioeconomic and dietary intake indicators. Antioquia, Colombia

Abstract

Objective: to link the BMI of subjects in the last three-month period of pregnancy with socioeconomic variables and dietary intake. Methods: a longitudinal, prospective and descriptive study with a follow up on the cohort before and after the dietary and nutritional intervention. The group was a sample of 80 volunteers. In the first three-month period of their pregnancy,a socioeconomic survey was carried out. During each threemonth period, a 24-hour dietary recall was applied; their BMI was evaluated, and the arm circumference of each volunteer was measured. Results: of the 42 mothers who achieved a weight gain correspondent to their pre-gestational BMI, 31 had an adequate BMI at the end of the pregnancy period. Age appeared to be significantly related to nutritional status; and the increase of energy and carbohydrate intake in the third three- month period was significant in both deficient mothers and in those with an adequate body weight. Conclusion: statistical association was found between age and BMI at the end of the pregnancy period. As for the first three-month period, pregnant women with low and appropriate BMI had their energy and carbohydrates intake increased.

Keywords

• gestation
• nutritional status
• socioeconomic variables
• dietary habits