Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Practices Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Vol. 12 No. 2 > Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Practices Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
Published: July 5, 2026 | Views: 59
Authors
Mousumi Datta, Archita Bhattacharya, Manisha Das, Srayashi Debbarma, Sourav Kumar Ghosh, Ajila A S, and Kabita Kumari
Keywords
Antenatal education, Diet surveys, Food security, Nutrition assessment, Pregnancy
Abstract
Background: Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy contributes to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Dietary diversity is an important indicator of nutrient adequacy and micronutrient sufficiency during pregnancy. However, evidence from Eastern India regarding dietary diversity and associated determinants among pregnant women remains limited.
Purpose: To assess dietary diversity and nutritional practices among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata and to determine the association of dietary diversity with food security, nutritional knowledge, and sociodemographic factors.
Methods: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 162 pregnant women. Data were collected using a predesigned, pretested semi-structured schedule incorporating the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) scale, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and nutritional knowledge assessment. Dietary diversity was considered adequate when â„5 food groups were consumed in the previous 24 hours. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.
Results: The mean age of participants was 23.9±4.95 years. Overall, 57.4% of women did not achieve minimum dietary diversity, while only 13.6% had adequate nutritional knowledge. Most participants (80.2%) were food secure despite low dietary diversity. Significant associations were observed between adequate dietary diversity and husbandâs secondary or higher education (aOR=3.39, p=0.002) and adequate maternal nutritional knowledge (aOR=43.14, p<0.001).
Conclusion: Dietary diversity among pregnant women attending the tertiary care hospital was suboptimal. Improving maternal nutritional knowledge and involving male partners in nutrition counselling may enhance dietary diversity during pregnancy. Strengthening antenatal nutritional counselling and promoting diversified diets remain essential public health priorities.
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How to Cite
Mousumi Datta, Archita Bhattacharya, Manisha Das, Srayashi Debbarma, Sourav Kumar Ghosh, Ajila A S, and Kabita Kumari. Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Practices Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India: A Cross-Sectional Study.
J. Multidiscip. Res. Healthcare. 2025, 12, 1-9
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