What do pregnant women eat, and are they meeting the recommended dietary requirements for pregnancy?

Abstract

Objective: To compare the dietary intake of pregnant women to the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines and explore factors associated with inadequate intake. Design: Dietary intake data were collected between July 2011 and July 2012 (n = 1570) using a 74-item food frequency questionnaire. Setting: Metropolitan public health hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Participants: Pregnant women, at least 16 years of age, with a singleton pregnancy, and literate in English. Measurements and Findings: The highest proportion of women met the recommended daily servings for fruit (65.7%), followed by dairy products (55.2%), meat/meat alternatives (31.1%), vegetables (10.3%), and then grain foods (1.8%). A ..