Determinants of food choice and other behaviours in pregnant and lactating Indonesian women

Abstract

Studies show that the impact of the posyandu service, an integrated community health post, on changing nutrition and health attitudes and food choice behaviours of pregnant and lactating women is not as effective as intended. A new semi-qualitative data collection tool, the Food Choice Map interview (FCM), was used in this study to obtain information on nutrition and health behaviours of pregnant and lactating Indonesian women who utilise posyandu services. During FCM analysis the recorder examined the food choice behaviours of pregnant and lactating women, from their perspective, to determine reasons for food choice behaviours and nutrition and health decision-making patterns. A snowball sample of 34 pregnant and lactating women from two provinces in Java, Indonesia participated. Each woman completed a FCM interview with the researcher. The results were analysed using the FCM analysis procedure. The analysis of the food choice map identified significant inter-provincial differences (p $<$.01) in the socialenvironment of food consumption and in consumption of fish, red meat, fruit and extras (p =.0004, p =.0158, p =.0174, p =.0001). There were no significant differences in food restrictions between pregnant and lactating women by region in fruit, vegetable, meat and fish consumption (p =.2311, p =.3257, p =.2989, p =.0854). However, numerous food restrictions, which included the effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on pregnancy or lactation outcome, were reported. Adherence to fruit and vegetable restrictions were significantly different for pregnant women versus lactating women in the study area (p =.0022) and food restrictions for lactating women in Central and West Java differed for fruit and vegetable consumption (p =.0005, p =.0475).