El impacto de la educación alimentaria nutricional en el embarazo: Una revisión de las experiencias de intervención

Abstract

Pregnancy is a period of great nutritional vulnerability in a women’s life, thus food and nutrition education (FNE) is a valuable tool for achieving healthy eating. The purpose of this study was to review the impact of nutritional interventions designed for healthy pregnant women. An analysis of the geographical distribution of 42 publications and the educational strategies employed was conducted. Effectiveness to generate changes in knowledge, eating attitudes and practices, promote an adequate weight gain and to prevent anemia was analyzed. Research from Asia and those including a combination of multiple educational strategies such as written information, information and communication technologies, workshops or discussion groups were the most prevalent. Interventions show favorable results when they intend to achieve an increase in the level of knowledge, stimulate changes in dietary patterns and prevent iron-deficiency anemia by adherence to iron supplementation. Gestational weight gain was also favorably affected when FNE is employed, however, the prevention of excessive weight gain depended on nutritional status prior to pregnancy and on other genetic and environmental determinants. Successful experiences encourage the inclusion of FNE as a routine tool in prenatal care; personalized nutritional counselling and the use of ICT are alternatives of choice in the current health scenario.