Nutritional Status and Additional Expenditure on Food During Pregnancy: Evidence From the Rajarata Pregnancy Cohort

Abstract

ObjectivesAdherence to specific food consumption patterns is essential for pregnant women to meet the nutritional needs and more concern is required for those who have poor nutritional status. We assessed the nutritional status and the pregnancy-related additional food expenditure (PAFE) during pregnancy in rural Sri Lanka. MethodsThe study was a part of Rajarata Pregnancy Cohort, a prospective cohort conducted in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka in 2019. Participants were recruited in the 1st trimester and followed up monthly until delivery. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on household economic status and anthropometric measurements. ResultsData of 1062 and 169 pregnant mothers were analyzed for the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The mean (SD) age was 28.3 (5.6) years. The mean (SD) monthly household income and the expenditure were USD 262.47 (194.92) and USD 169.04 (113.49) respectively. The mean (SD) PAFE during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters were USD 11.23 (9.84) and USD 8.69 (7.18) [t(47) = 1.116, p = 0.270]. There were statistically significant differences in PAFE across 2nd [F(4,592) = 6.272, p = 0.001] and 3rd trimesters [F(4,61) = 2.697, p = 0.039]. The shares of PAFE out of the total household expenditure were 6.1% and 5.3%. Of the sample, 16.5% of women (n = 167) were in the underweight category (BMI < 18.5). There were no statistically significant differences of PAFE between underweight group [Mean (SD) = 10.73 (8.29)] and others [Mean (SD) = 11.47 (10.39)] in the 2nd trimester [t(667) = -0.702, p = 0.483] and in the 3rd trimester [t(62) = -0.487, p = 0.628]. Of the underweight mothers, 65% were below the middle-income group (income < USD 232.60) and spend the lowest amount per month (M = USD 8.15, SD = 4.55) among other income groups. There is a statistically significant difference of PAFE among different income quintiles in the 2nd trimester [F(4,592) = 6.272, P = 0.001] and in the 3rd trimester [F(4,61) = 2.697, P = 0.039]. ConclusionsEven though more concern needs to be towards the mothers under poor nutritional status, there was no significant difference of PAFE among mothers with different nutritional status. The possible reason would be the lack of affordability due to poor income status since spending the lowest amount for PAFE than others. Funding SourcesAccelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD), World Bank.