Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE:To develop a Diet Quality Index Adapted for Pregnant Women (IQDAG) and to evaluate its relation with the characteristics of women treated at the Brazilian Unified Health System.METHODS:The data on food intake come from a cross-sectional study carried out with 785 adult pregnant women in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2011 and 2012. The index was based on the recommendations of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, previous national dietary indexes, and the new Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population. We used the ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-square tests to describe the quality of the diet according to the characteristics of the mother.RESULTS:The IQDAG has nine components, and it is represented by three food groups (in servings/1,000 kcal), five nutrients, and a moderator component. A high proportion of pregnant women reached the maximum score for the components of legumes and vegetables. However, few women reached the maximum score for consumption of fresh fruits, fiber, omega-3, calcium, folate, iron, and ultra-processed foods. We verified a better quality of diet among older and eutrophic pregnant women who reported practicing more physical activity and taking dietary supplements. We also observed the highest index score among women with higher intake of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins C, E, and A, and minerals calcium, folate, and iron, as well as among those with lower intake of total fats and saturated fats.CONCLUSIONS:This dietary index is unprecedented in incorporating the recommendation of the new Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population regarding the moderation of the consumption of ultra-processed foods. It was useful in evaluating the quality of the diet of pregnant women and we verified a higher score among older and eutrophic women who reported a healthy lifestyle. Strategies are needed to promote a higher consumption of fresh fruits, foods high in fiber, omega-3, calcium, folate, iron, and minimally processed foods in pregnant women.
Highlights
Diet indexes are based on theoretical assumptions about the effect of various components of the diet on the health of individuals, which allow the evaluation and monitoring of the adherence to the diet in relation to nutritional recommendations[17]
We observed the highest index score among women with higher intake of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins C, E, and A, and minerals calcium, folate, and iron, as well as among those with lower intake of total fats and saturated fats. This dietary index is unprecedented in incorporating the recommendation of the new Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population regarding the moderation of the consumption of ultra-processed foods
The HEIP-B was developed based on the Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P)[26], with some aspects adapted to the reality of Brazilian pregnant women[20]
Summary
Diet indexes are based on theoretical assumptions about the effect of various components of the diet ( foods and nutrients) on the health of individuals, which allow the evaluation and monitoring of the adherence to the diet in relation to nutritional recommendations[17]. The IQD-G was an adaptation of a national index developed to evaluate the quality of diet of all age groups, with the exclusion of children under one year, proposed by Fisberg et al.[7] The HEIP-B was developed based on the Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P)[26], with some aspects adapted to the reality of Brazilian pregnant women[20]. These indexes have not considered the energy density in the calculation of food groups, which has long been recommended in the scientific literature[10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
