Socio-Ecological Factors and Nutrition Interventions Influencing Dietary Practices among Pregnant Adolescent Girls: A Scoping Review

This scoping review protocol was originally developed in 2024 as part of a doctoral research project examining nutrition practices among pregnant adolescent girls in Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe. The protocol is being registered retrospectively to enhance transparency and documentation of the review process. The scoping review maps and synthesises evidence on the socio-ecological factors influencing dietary and nutrition practices among pregnant adolescent girls and examines interventions implemented to improve their nutrition outcomes. The review includes 101 studies from both low- and middle-income countries and high-income settings, encompassing quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods studies, intervention studies, and systematic reviews. It explores how individual, household, community, and structural factors—including knowledge, household decision-making dynamics, food access, economic constraints, and socio-cultural norms—shape pregnant adolescents’ nutrition practices. The review also examines the types of nutrition-related interventions implemented to support this group and the evidence regarding their effectiveness. By mapping the breadth of available evidence, the review highlights key gaps in current knowledge and informs the development of adolescent-responsive, user-centred nutrition interventions that reflect pregnant adolescents’ lived experiences and support improved maternal and child nutrition outcomes. This scoping review forms part of a broader study aimed at informing the development of user-centred nutrition interventions for pregnant adolescents.