The aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns during pregnancy and lactation of Saudi Arabian mothers, together with infant feeding practices and identify the beliefs and other factors which lie behind these patterns. The implications for the nutritional health of mother and baby were also explored. Data was collected in three separate studies: 1. An investigation of antenatal records of 92 mothers who had given birth to normal weight babies compared with records of 46 mothers who had given birth to babies weighing less than 2.500 kg. 2. Survey of dietary patterns and beliefs of 227 women attending the first antenatal appointment, recruited in Shaban (80), Shawal (76) and Ramadan (71). 3. A follow-up study of 51 mother-baby pairs to investigate dietary patterns, infant-feeding practices and anthropometric measurements at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months postpartum. Results indicate the influence of cultural beliefs on maternal diet during pregnancy, puerperium and lactation, including some influence of hot/cold food classification. The period of Ramadan not only profoundly affected maternal eating habits in pregnancy, but was also associated with low birth weight when it fell in the second trimester of pregnancy. Based on 24-hour recall data, the diets of most mothers in pregnancy and lactation failed to meet international recommendations. Some breast feeding of infants was almost universal and prolonged by western standards, but the decline during the study period indicated that the majority would not comply with the Quranic injunction to breast feed for 2 years. Anthropometric data of infants indicated the presence of stunting/wasting in a small number of infants.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:503486 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Al-Musharef, Samira |
| Publisher | King's College London (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/materail-food-habits-and-infant-feeding-practices-in-saudi-arabia(037fb1bd-7f62-4ab8-a51f-0d96f7a1ebce).html |
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