A Study on Nutritional Status & Potential Factors Affecting their Food Consumption Pattern of Lactating Mothers, Attending Immunization Clinic of a Tertiary Care Centre - A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The period of lactation is a relatively brief and very special time with her new-born baby as a good memory in a women's life. It is observed from various nutritional surveys that the nutritional status of lactating mothers and infants is not satisfactory, due food restrictions. With this background, the study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of lactating mothers. Objectives: The study aims to assess the nutritional status and the potential factors affecting food consumption pattern of lactating mothers. Methodology: A cross sectional study was applied to 313 lactating mothers attending immunization clinic of a tertiary care centre, India. Data on nutritional status & potential factors including socio-demographic profile, family factors, and health services factor, social environmental, and social cultural factors affecting food consumption pattern of lactating mothers using a structured questionnaire were collected and analysed. Results: 26.2% of the subjects had low BMI (less than18.5), whereas 9.6% were overweight and obese. Under nutrition (low BMI) was found to be more common among women less than 24 years of age, Hindu religion, residing in rural areas, with primary or lower education, home makers, those belonging to lower socio-economic status (class IV & class V), primiparas, vegetarian mothers and all was found to be statistically significant. Women with secondary or higher education, working women, age greater than24 years, monthly family income of more than 10000, Women who follow the MCH guide book, who had good perception on health education & counselling consumed more variety of foods and was found to be stastically significant.