Determinants of Food Consumption During Pregnancy in Rural Bangladesh

A common custom in developing countries is reduction of food intake during pregnancy. This practice, known as "eating down" often stems from a belief that a larger fetus will cause a more difficult delivery, particularly when the woman herself is small. Researchers have found that changes in food-related behaviors take place more often during pregnancy than at any other stage of life (Hunter 1996). Numerous studies have demonstrated that pregnant women need to increase food intake during pregnancy given increased energy needs associated with the growth of the fetus. Women decreasing their energy intake have a higher risk of prêterai delivery (Siega-R et al. 2001). Evidence from many countries demonstrates a correlation between caloric intake and both pregnancy weight gain and birth weight of the infant. Low birth weight (LBW), in turn, has been closely associated with growth retardation, poor mental performance, higher morbidity and mortality during childhood. LBW also may increase susceptibility to chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, which in turn affect adult productivity (Martorell et cd. 1998). In the developing world as a whole, one in five newborns is low birthweight. For South Asia, the region of the world contributing the highest number of low birthweight infants, the figure is one in two. Given the importance of food consumption during pregnancy to pregnancy outcomes, understanding the factors that influence pregnancy food consumption levels deserve explicit attention in the formulation of health and nutrition policies and programs