The diet pregnant women take is affected by factors like stress, mood, anxiety and other psychosocial factors, says a study in Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Diet in pregnancy is very important to the growth of the fetus and needs to contain the food elements like folic acid and other vitamins amongst other things.The study points out that women who are more often exhausted or stressed tend to eat more of one kind of foods, like carbohydrates etc. The researchers had looked into 134 women who had low risk normal pregnancies. Some of the factors whose effects were noted during the study were anxiety, stress, exhaustion, mood fluctuations, anger and support of the family.
The study reported that women who remained exhausted reported more intakes of energy foods and zinc. Stressed women had more breads and snacks, which are rich in fats, iron and zinc. Anxiety caused lower intake of vitamin C.
This may lead to a lopsided diet, which might lack in essential nutrients, while resulting in increased intake of certain nutrients. Finding out more of the mental makeup of the pregnant women and prescribing diets accordingly will work in favor of good health of the unborn fetus and the newborn child.
