Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia
Abstract Background There are pervasive pregnancy-related food taboos and myths (PRFT) in Ethiopia. The evidence, however, is limited on whether PRFT contributes to the burden of maternal anemia. Thus, this study was aimed to determine the magnitude of PRFT, the reasons for adherence to PRFT, and th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Nutrition Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12937-019-0444-4 |
| _version_ | 1811288699683471360 |
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| author | Shimels Hussien Mohammed Hailu Taye Bagher Larijani Ahmad Esmaillzadeh |
| author_facet | Shimels Hussien Mohammed Hailu Taye Bagher Larijani Ahmad Esmaillzadeh |
| author_sort | Shimels Hussien Mohammed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There are pervasive pregnancy-related food taboos and myths (PRFT) in Ethiopia. The evidence, however, is limited on whether PRFT contributes to the burden of maternal anemia. Thus, this study was aimed to determine the magnitude of PRFT, the reasons for adherence to PRFT, and the association of adherence to PRFT with anemia, among pregnant Ethiopian women. Methods The study was case-control in design and recruited a sample of 592 pregnant women attending antenatal care in four health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Participants were classified into anemic cases (n = 187) and non-anemic controls (n = 405) based on their hemoglobin level. PRFT was assessed by the participants’ subjective reporting of avoidance of certain food items during the current pregnancy due to taboo reasons. The specific types of food items avoided and the underlying reasons for the avoidance were also assessed. The relation of PRFT with anemia was evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for covariate factors. Result Almost a fifth of the study participants (18.2%) avoided one or more food items due to PRFT. Adherence to PRFT was 26.2 and 14.6% among the anemic and the non-anemic individuals, respectively. The food items most avoided due to adherence to PRFT were green chili pepper, organ meat, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, and broccoli. The underlying reasons for the adherence to PRFT were largely traditionally held beliefs and misconceptions. After controlling for covariates, PRFT was significantly and independently associated with a higher odds of anemia [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.32–3.42, P = 0.002]. Conclusion PRFT might be contributing to the burden of maternal anemia in Ethiopia. It is time for public health authorities in Ethiopia to recognize PRFT as a public health risk, strengthen maternal nutrition counseling, and create public awareness of the consequences of PRFT. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03251664), 16 August 2017. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:41:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec5c8e6c6a164333afcd42fb7e0405e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2891 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T03:41:55Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrition Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec5c8e6c6a164333afcd42fb7e0405e12022-12-22T03:04:09ZengBMCNutrition Journal1475-28912019-03-011811910.1186/s12937-019-0444-4Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemiaShimels Hussien Mohammed0Hailu Taye1Bagher Larijani2Ahmad Esmaillzadeh3Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences-International Campus (TUMS-IC)Unit of Reproductive Health, Addis Ababa City Administration Health BureauEndocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical SciencesObesity and Eating Habits Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background There are pervasive pregnancy-related food taboos and myths (PRFT) in Ethiopia. The evidence, however, is limited on whether PRFT contributes to the burden of maternal anemia. Thus, this study was aimed to determine the magnitude of PRFT, the reasons for adherence to PRFT, and the association of adherence to PRFT with anemia, among pregnant Ethiopian women. Methods The study was case-control in design and recruited a sample of 592 pregnant women attending antenatal care in four health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Participants were classified into anemic cases (n = 187) and non-anemic controls (n = 405) based on their hemoglobin level. PRFT was assessed by the participants’ subjective reporting of avoidance of certain food items during the current pregnancy due to taboo reasons. The specific types of food items avoided and the underlying reasons for the avoidance were also assessed. The relation of PRFT with anemia was evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for covariate factors. Result Almost a fifth of the study participants (18.2%) avoided one or more food items due to PRFT. Adherence to PRFT was 26.2 and 14.6% among the anemic and the non-anemic individuals, respectively. The food items most avoided due to adherence to PRFT were green chili pepper, organ meat, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, and broccoli. The underlying reasons for the adherence to PRFT were largely traditionally held beliefs and misconceptions. After controlling for covariates, PRFT was significantly and independently associated with a higher odds of anemia [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.32–3.42, P = 0.002]. Conclusion PRFT might be contributing to the burden of maternal anemia in Ethiopia. It is time for public health authorities in Ethiopia to recognize PRFT as a public health risk, strengthen maternal nutrition counseling, and create public awareness of the consequences of PRFT. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03251664), 16 August 2017.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12937-019-0444-4Dietary behaviorFood tabooPregnancyAnemiaEthiopia |
| spellingShingle | Shimels Hussien Mohammed Hailu Taye Bagher Larijani Ahmad Esmaillzadeh Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia Nutrition Journal Dietary behavior Food taboo Pregnancy Anemia Ethiopia |
| title | Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia |
| title_full | Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia |
| title_fullStr | Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia |
| title_short | Food taboo among pregnant Ethiopian women: magnitude, drivers, and association with anemia |
| title_sort | food taboo among pregnant ethiopian women magnitude drivers and association with anemia |
| topic | Dietary behavior Food taboo Pregnancy Anemia Ethiopia |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12937-019-0444-4 |
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