Food Cravings and Dislikes of Pregnant Women from Four WIC Clinics in Texas

Abstract

To objectives of this study were to determine food cravings and dislikes of pregnant women who practiced pica and women who did not practice pica. Mothers (n=281) with infants less than one year old who participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) were interviewed at four WIC Clinics in Houston and Prairie View, Texas. Women were asked open-ended questions about food cravings and dislikes during pregnancy and were also asked to report changes in food habits related to pregnancy when read a list of foods. The women were 88.6% African American, 6.8% Hispanic, and 4.6% Caucasian. Most of the women (n=215) practiced pica. Pica substances identified included ice, freezer frost, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, laundry starch, baby powder and dirt. Women who practiced pica reported more food cravings and dislikes than women who did not. Two thirds of women who reported food cravings didn’t know why they had cravings; 13% of women attributed their food cravings to their pregnancy and 6% attributed their food cravings to a feeling that “the baby wanted it”. The most commonly reported craved food items were fruit and fruit juice, ice cream, seafood, meats, pizza, and vegetables. The most commonly reported disliked food items were chicken, vegetables, meats, spaghetti, eggs, and seafood. Women who ate other pica substances in addition to ice were more likely to change their food habits during pregnancy. They reported higher consumption of sweets, salty foods, starchy foods, oils and fats, and protein foods. It is unclear why women who ate other pica substances in addition to ice were more likely to change their food habits during pregnancy. A majority of all women reported an increase in consumption of milk, orange juice, and cereal; this reported increase was probably due to increased availability of these foods from WIC participation.