Evaluation of Nutrition Knowledge of Pregnant Women before and after Nutrition Education according to Sociodemographic Characteristics

• Published in: Ecology of food and nutrition Vol. 57; no. 6; pp. 441 - 455
• Main Authors: Aktaç, Sule, Sabuncular, Guleren, Kargin, Dicle, Gunes, Fatma Esra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 02-11-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Educational Status; Employment; Female; Gravidity; Health Education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Knowledge; Maternal & child health; Nutrition; Nutrition education; nutritional knowledge; Nutritional Sciences; Nutritional Status; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Prenatal Care; prenatal education; Sociodemographics; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey; Womens health; Young Adult; Turkey; Pregnancy; health education; nutritional knowledge; prenatal education
• ISSN: 0367-0244; 1543-5237
• DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2018.1544561

The aim of this cross-sectional study is to evaluate the effect of nutrition education on nutritional knowledge levels of pregnant women. The study was undertaken on a sample of pregnant women (i = 743) attending health centers in Istanbul for prenatal care. Nutrition knowledge scores were significantly higher in posttest (23.0) than pretest (16.0) after receiving nutrition education (p < .001). Significant differences in pretest (p < .05) but not posttest (p > .05) scores were found for factors, such as education level, work status, and the number of pregnancies; significant differences in both test scores were found for age and nutrition information (p < .05). In conclusion, pregnant women need to be given adequate and appropriate nutrition education for maternal and child health according to sociodemographic characteristics.