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Cited by 203Nutrition, Health and Food BehaviorMaternal and Neonatal HealthcareNutritional Studies and Diet

Dietary Change during Pregnancy and Women’s Reasons for Change

Open access
Forbes, Laura E., Graham, Jocelyn E., Berglund, Casey, Bell, Rhonda C.·2018·Nutrients
DOI 10.3390/nu10081032PMC PMC6115730
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Abstract

Women often make dietary changes during pregnancy; however, dietary modifications and reasons for changes are not well studied. We aimed to describe the dietary changes made during pregnancy, describe reasons for dietary changes, and determine what changes aligned with recommendations. Pregnant women (n = 379) recruited to the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study in 2009/2010 completed a questionnaire in which they described dietary changes made during pregnancy and reasons for those changes. Changes and reasons were coded into categories. Women commonly reported increasing their intake of milk products, fruit, and sweet items and commonly decreased or eliminated intake of caffeine, alcohol, and meats. Women frequently reduced intake of foods for the baby’s health and increased foods to satisfy cravings. Changes made commonly aligned with recommendations for caffeine, alcohol intake, food safety, milk and alternatives, and fruit. Changes contrary to recommendations were common for fish and meats. The dietary changes women make during pregnancy appear to reflect women’s efforts to balance physiological changes accompanying pregnancy with the desire for healthy pregnancy outcomes. Understanding the reasons behind dietary change during pregnancy will help researchers and health professionals design effective strategies and public health messages to promote healthier pregnancies.

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Crossref · 10.3390/nu10081032

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  • Fruit and fruit juices are widely favoured in pregnancy.

    “Caffeine‐based drinks, eggs, fish, meat and fatty foods are commonly avoided, whereas intakes of carbohydrate‐rich foods tend to increase in the first trimester. Sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes are widely favoured, along with fruit and fruit juices. 105 , 106”

    From Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as [106]

    Results §3.2 reports that 25% of participants increased fruit consumption, and Results §3.4 identifies cravings and enjoyment as reasons for increasing fruit intake. The Methods says 100% fruit juice was included in the fruit food group, but the results do not establish that fruit juice specifically was widely favoured. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Caffeine-based drinks, eggs, fish, meat and fatty foods are commonly avoided in pregnancy.

    “Caffeine‐based drinks, eggs, fish, meat and fatty foods are commonly avoided, whereas intakes of carbohydrate‐rich foods tend to increase in the first trimester. Sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes are widely favoured, along with fruit and fruit juices. 105 , 106”

    From Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as [106]

    Results §§3.2 and 3.4 report frequent reductions in coffee, tea and caffeine, and reduced intake of fish and meat. Section 3.4 describes avoidance of raw or undercooked eggs, raw fish and undercooked meat—not eggs, fish and meat generally. The passages do not establish that fatty foods were commonly avoided. Page numbers were unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes are widely favoured in pregnancy.

    “Caffeine‐based drinks, eggs, fish, meat and fatty foods are commonly avoided, whereas intakes of carbohydrate‐rich foods tend to increase in the first trimester. Sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes are widely favoured, along with fruit and fruit juices. 105 , 106”

    From Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as [106]

    The Results (§3.2, page unavailable) report that 16.3% of participants increased sweet foods and 25% increased fruit intake; the Methods list chocolate as an example of a sweet food. The paper does not identify biscuits or cakes as favoured foods, and its findings concern reported dietary changes in its study participants rather than preferences among pregnant women generally. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The majority of women report changes in preferences for certain foodstuffs and beverages.

    “The nausea experienced by between 60% and 80% of women can influence food choices and the majority of women report changes in preferences for certain foodstuffs and beverages.”

    From Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as [106]

    Results §3.2 reports that participants changed their diets, including food and beverage intake; §3.4 reports that 77% reduced caffeine intake. But the paper measures changes in consumption, not whether a majority experienced changes in food and beverage preferences. Results §3.3 identifies cravings and aversions as reasons for some changes without establishing that they affected most women. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Intakes of carbohydrate-rich foods tend to increase in the first trimester.

    “Caffeine‐based drinks, eggs, fish, meat and fatty foods are commonly avoided, whereas intakes of carbohydrate‐rich foods tend to increase in the first trimester. Sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes are widely favoured, along with fruit and fruit juices. 105 , 106”

    From Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review (2022) · cites this paper as [106]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [25]World Health Organization Guideline: Sugars Intake for Adults and Children World Health Organization Geneva, Switzerland 2015 25905159

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Authors
Forbes, L. E., Graham, J. E., Berglund, C., & Bell, R. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Guelph (CA)
  • University of Alberta (CA)
Corresponding author
Forbes, Laura E.
ORCID
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-08-08
Volume
10
Issue
8
Pages
1032
ISSN
2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/nu10081032
PMC
PMC6115730
OpenAlex
W2886603356
Cited by
203
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 1
FWCI
15.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Alberta Innovates
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
pregnant women, maternal diet, food cravings, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, dairy consumption, fruit consumption, food safety, dietary recommendations, prenatal nutrition
MeSH terms
Maternal Health, Diet, Healthy, Adolescent, Adult, Alberta, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet Surveys, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Nutritive Value, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Health Behavior, Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Young Adult, Recommended Dietary Allowances, Protective Factors

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