Abstract:
Background: Food taboos are known from virtually all human societies and may be found in various forms all over the world. Within public health and medical field, food taboos are considered as potential sources of malnutrition and dietary insufficiency in pregnant women. However, much work regarding to pregnancy related food taboo practices, misconceptions and associated factors are not done. As a result, there is lack of comprehensive information regarding to food taboo practices.
Objective: This study aimed to assess magnitude of food taboo practices and associated factors among pregnant women in public health facilities of Ambo Town, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2024
Method: Institutional based cross sectional study was conducted from March 1-30, 2024 among 422 pregnant women in Ambo Town who were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. The data were coded, entered into Epidata version 3.1and exported to SPSS version 26 for data cleaning and analysis. Descriptive measures like mean, frequency and percentage was computed. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to select candidate variable at P-value<=0.25 for multivariable logistic regression. Adjusted odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval was used to declare the statistical significance of the association factor. Result was presented using text, tables and graphs.
Result: Around 39% (95%CI: 34%-43.7%) of pregnant women reported the presence of food taboos during their current pregnancies. Age of the mother (>=35) (AOR=4.31; 95%CI:[2.08-8.95]), no formal education (AOR=2.87;95%CI:[1.17-7.05]), Being rural residence (AOR=2.55;95%CI:[1.43-4.55]), not having previous ANC follow up (AOR= 3.06;95%CI:[1.69-5.52]), not counseled on nutrition (AOR=2.22;95%CI:[1.25-3.97]) were the predictors of food taboo practices among pregnant mothers
Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the magnitude of Pregnancy related food taboos is high during current pregnancy. Therefore, nutritional education and nutritional counseling at service delivery points are imperative action for pregnant women to avoid food taboos
