Assessing the impact of nutrition education on antenatal nutrition knowledge of women in Lebanon : an interventional study

Abstract

Nutrition has significant implications on a person’s health status throughout his/her life cycle. This is especially particular during periods of development and growth, namely during pregnancy. Hence, a healthy and balanced diet is important during pregnancy. Knowledge about appropriate and healthy dietary choices may be an influencing factor in adopting a nutritious diet. Existing data proposes that nutrition education before and during pregnancy may encourage ideal gestational weight gain, reduce the risk of foodborne illness, improve birth weight, and decrease the risk of preterm delivery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of nutrition education intervention on the awareness of healthy nutrition during pregnancy of women in Lebanon. A quantitative quasi-experimental study design was adopted. Online antenatal nutrition education sessions were provided to a group of women of childbearing age. Participants’ antenatal nutrition knowledge were assessed before and directly after giving the session through an online self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the results, using SPSS 20®. Pretests were displayed as scores and as categories. One sample t-test was used to compare the mean score of the posttest with the mean score of the pretest. Pearson’s correlation and chi square tests were used to study correlations between pretest mean scores and sociodemographic characteristics. Ninety-one women attended the sessions and filled the pretest, 67 posttests were collected. Mean scores for pretest and posttest were 27 ± 6.5 and 37 ± 4.1 respectively, and their difference was statistically significant (t=-31.6; P<0.001). Antenatal nutrition education may improve knowledge and practice of women during pregnancy. Thus, attention should be directed towards promoting nutrition education of women of childbearing age.