PURPOSE: to determine the dietary consumption of pregnant women, by assessing the intake of macronutrients and micronutrients, and to verify the maternal weight gain during pregnancy. METHODS: a retrospective study conducted from June 2002 to June 2008 with pregnant women who received nutritional counseling during prenatal care at a university hospital, grouped according to anthropometric nutritional status classified by pregestational body mass index (BMI). The dietary intake was analyzed according to the information obtained in food frequency interviews, performed at the first evaluation of pregnant women in the service of nutrition to obtain data about eating habits, and the intake of macronutrients and micronutrients was calculated. The pregnant women received nutritional counseling, and the maternal weight gain was investigated. RESULTS: a total of 187 pregnant women who received nutritional counseling were analyzed. Twenty-three (12.2%) were underweight, 84 (45.0%) normal weight, 37 (19.8%) overweight, and 43 (23.0%) obese. The underweight pregnant women had lower consumption of lipids when compared to the normal weight group (101.4 versus 137.3 g; p=0.043). The average iron intake was higher in normal weight pregnant women (14.6 mg/d) compared to the overweight (12.2 mg/d) or obese (10.9 mg/d; p<0.001) groups. The average intake of folate was higher in normal weight pregnant women compared to obese ones (336.5 µg/d versus 234.5 µg/d; p=0.002). Excessive maternal weight gain was significantly (p=0.009) more frequent in overweight (56.7%) and obese (39.5%) pregnant women compared to underweight (17.4%) and normal weight (31.0%) women. CONCLUSIONS: The maternal weight gain above recommended levels was associated with overweight and obesity. The dietary intake of pregnant women differs according to maternal anthropometric nutritional status, with a lower daily intake of iron in overweight and obese women and a lower intake of folate in obese ones, a fact that reinforces the importance of prenatal vitamin supplementation.
Food consumption; Feeding behavior; Body mass index; Nutritional assessment; Weight gain; Pregnancy
