Understanding empowerment for a healthy dietary intake during pregnancy

Sabina Super,Annemarie Wagemakers

doi:10.1080/17482631.2020.1857550

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: In order for health professionals to encourage pregnant women with a low socioeconomic status (SES) to move towards empowerment for a healthy dietary intake, crucial steps are to understand the perspectives of pregnant women of food and eating and to identify opportunities for empowerment. This study aimed to examine the perspectives of pregnant women on food and eating and to identify the opportunities for empowerment towards a healthy dietary intake. Methods: This was a qualitative participatory study. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with low SES pregnant women in the Netherlands and analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Five perspectives on food and eating emerged: 1) health-promoting foods and products, 2) challenges in healthy eating, 3) risky products, 4) strategies for healthy eating, and 5) motivational aspects. Opportunities for empowerment were: searching balanced and personalized information, developing strategies to implement healthy diets, navigating the social environment, and dealing with different motivations. Conclusion: Pregnant women hold diverse perspectives regarding food and eating, signalling the need to adjust dietary support from health-care professionals. Professionals in antenatal care could optimize their interactions by engaging in pregnant women’s empowerment processes to make healthy modifications to their dietary intake.

Highlights

A healthy dietary intake during pregnancy is important for maternal and child health (World Health Organization, 2018) which has been defined by the World Health Organization (2018) as one that “contains adequate energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, obtained through the con sumption of a variety of foods, including green and orange vegetables, meat, fish, beans, nuts, pasteurized dairy pro ducts and fruit (p. 4)”
This study aimed to answer two research questions: 1) “What are the perspectives of low Socio-Economic Status (SES) pregnant women on food and eating during pregnancy?” and 2) “What are the opportunities for empowerment towards a healthy dietary intake amongst low SES pregnant women?” Five different perspectives on food and eating emerged during the brainstorm with low SES pregnant women: 1) health-promoting foods and products; 2) challenges in relation to eating during pregnancy; 3) risky products; 4) strategies for healthy eating, and; 5) motivational aspects
The results of this study indicate that low SES pregnant women are generally motivated to have a healthy dietary intake, more research is needed to explore how this motivation is translated into behaviour and how health professionals can tap into this motiva tion to empower them towards a healthy dietary intake

Summary

Introduction

A healthy dietary intake during pregnancy is important for maternal and child health (World Health Organization, 2018) which has been defined by the World Health Organization (2018) as one that “contains adequate energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, obtained through the con sumption of a variety of foods, including green and orange vegetables, meat, fish, beans, nuts, pasteurized dairy pro ducts and fruit (p. 4)”. It has been argued that pregnancy is a teachable moment, where women are open to lifestyle changes as they gain awareness of the importance of health behaviours for foetal health (Lindqvist et al, 2017; Szwajcer et al, 2012). They may encounter challenges (e.g., nausea) that make it difficult to implement and sustain dietary changes throughout pregnancy (Blumfield et al, 2012; Malek et al, 2016). Pregnant women with a low Socio-Economic Status (SES) face additional challenges that complicate having a healthy dietary intake, such as a lack of money, knowl edge and skills to make dietary changes (Baron et al, 2015; Fowles et al, 2011; Renzaho & Oldroyd, 2014)

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Discussion

Conclusion