Conhecimento nutricional e as práticas alimentares de gestantes atendidas nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde da zona rural do município de Cuité-PB.

Abstract

Pregnancy is a period in which a woman's nutritional needs increase significantly, making it essential to adopt appropriate dietary practices to ensure maternal health, fetal development, and the prevention of complications. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the level of nutritional knowledge and eating practices of pregnant women attended at Basic Health Units in the rural area of the municipality of Cuité, Paraíba. This is a descriptive study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, and a cross-sectional design, carried out through field research with the application of a structured questionnaire adapted from Farias et al. (2019). The data were organized in Microsoft Access and analyzed in the STATA software, version 15.0, by means of descriptive statistics, and were presented in absolute and relative frequencies, tables and graphs. The results showed a profile of socioeconomic vulnerability, characterized by the predominance of pregnant women married or in a stable union, with complete high school education, dedicated to household activities, low income and participation in income transfer programs. Regarding feeding practices, positive aspects were observed, such as the frequent consumption of rice, beans, meat, vegetables, legumes and fruits, as well as the performance of intermediate meals and adequate food fractionation. However, frequent consumption of coffee, sweets, foods rich in sodium, breads and crackers was also observed, in addition to the low frequency of consumption of fish and fruits in some meals. Regarding nutritional knowledge, it was found that the participants recognized the importance of healthy eating and micronutrients during pregnancy, but had difficulties in identifying the most suitable foods and the functions of the nutrients. In addition, most did not undergo nutritional monitoring during pregnancy. It is concluded that there are still gaps in nutritional knowledge, especially regarding the identification of recommended foods and the functions of nutrients, associated with inadequacies in feeding practices, reinforcing the need to strengthen nutritional assistance and Food and Nutrition Education actions in Primary Health Care, especially in rural areas and in contexts of socioeconomic vulnerability.