The Nutritional Status and Dietary Habits among Pregnant Women Seeking Antenatal services in Othaya Constituency, Nyeri, County in Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to seek to understand the contributions of dietary habits on the nutritional status of pregnant women seeking ANC services in the Constituency. It is guided by two objectives, to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women in Othaya Constituency making their first ANC visit during their current pregnancy and to establish the dietary habits of pregnant women in Othaya Constituency. The paper is grounded on the Social Learning Theory (SLT). Methodology: The study used a descriptive, cross-sectional survey design which employed a mixed-method approach. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 119 pregnant women while qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and Key Informants. Secondary data were collected from the hospital records and maternal and child health booklet. Hb levels, MUAC, and Women Dietary Diversity Score were used to assess the nutritional status of the women. Findings: The findings established that 14% of the study participants had Hb levels below 11 g/dl and were therefore anaemic. MUAC measurements established that 9% of the women were undernourished (MUAC below 23 cm) while 91% had adequate nutritional status (MUAC ≥ 23). The mean dietary diversity score for the 9 food groups was 4.68±1.32 while the lowest and highest were 1 and 7 food groups respectively. The respondents’ dietary habits revealed that they mainly consumed starchy foods.. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The findings also revealed that the women were eating the foods they did because they had learnt it from their growing up at the family level and also through interacting with others later in life. This therefore shows that the choice people make on the food they eat is a learned behaviour and thus the contribution to the SLT. By revealing the gap in the dietary habits of pregnant women, the need for more emphasis in policy implementation regarding the dietary habits of pregnant women or where need be the need for policy review to ensure a more robust promotion of a more diversified diet among pregnant women. The paper therefore recommends the need to intensify nutrition education and counselling at the community level and Diversification of food crops.