Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33866982›Full record

ArticlePublic health nutrition2022

What stops us from eating: a qualitative investigation of dietary barriers during pregnancy in Punjab, Pakistan.

Muhammad Asim, Zarak H Ahmed, Amy R Nichols, Rachel Rickman, Elena Neiterman, Anita Mahmood, Elizabeth M Widen

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Public health nutrition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Muhammad AsimDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zarak H AhmedDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Amy R NicholsDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, USA.
Rachel RickmanDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, USA.
Elena NeitermanSchool of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Canada.
Anita MahmoodDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, USA.
Elizabeth M WidenDell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX78723, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9574-6109
The University of Texas at Austin · USAga Khan University · PKUniversity of Waterloo · CA

Funding

Scientific & Technical CoreP2CHD042849 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI MARK D. HAYWARD · 2017 to 2026
$5.2M
Pregnancy weight trajectories and offspring adiposityR00HD086304 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI WIDEN, ELIZABETH MARIE · 2018 to 2020
$744k
NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD042849NICHD NIH HHS R00 HD086304
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAdequate dietary intake during pregnancy is vital for the health and nutritional status of both mother and fetus. The nutritional status of reproductive age women in Pakistan is poor, with 14 % being underweight (BMI < 18·5) and 42 % experiencing Fe deficiency anaemia. This may stem from beliefs, practices and other barriers influencing dietary intake. This qualitative study seeks to determine which factors impact dietary intake during pregnancy in rural Punjab.

designIn-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted and then analysed using thematic analysis.

settingThree purposively selected rural districts (Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpatan) with the highest prevalence of maternal and child malnutrition in the province of Punjab, Pakistan.

participantsMothers with children under age two (n 29) and healthcare providers with at least 5 years of experience working in the district (n 12).

resultsWe identified a combination of physiological, socio-cultural and structural barriers that inhibited healthful dietary intake during pregnancy. The primary physiological barriers to optimal dietary intake and dietary practices included food aversions and food cravings. Food classification, fear of a difficult childbirth, fear of high blood pressure and household food politics were the principal socio-cultural barriers. Additionally, two structural barriers, inadequate antenatal counseling and a lack of affordable food options, were identified.

conclusionsOur study demonstrates that complex barriers prevent pregnant women in the Punjab area from consuming adequate dietary intake and that antenatal health education programmes and structural interventions are needed to support healthful dietary practices during this critical period.

Indexed as

DietPregnant PeopleChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansNutritional StatusPakistanPregnancyRural PopulationFood intake barriersMorning sicknessNutritional statusNutrition during pregnancyQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID33866982
PMCPMC8523588
OpenAlexW3152897503

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.