Adequacy of nutrient intakes among pregnant women in northern Ghana

Introduction: Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is a pre-requisite for good pregnancy outcomes as well as future wellbeing, development and quality of life of the unborn child. This analytical cross-sectional study evaluated the adequacy of nutrient intakes of pregnant women resident in northern Ghana. Methods: A total of 400 pregnant women in 25 communities in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana were interviewed at the household level. The nutrient intakes were assessed using a structured 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. A dietary diversity score (DDS) was measured as a count of food groups. A nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of 14 nutrients as well as mean adequacy ratio (MAR) were calculated based on the 24-hour dietary recall. Results: The average energy, protein and fat intakes were 2,770.8 ± 1,127.5 Kcal/day, 59.2 ±27.5 g/day, and 105.25±58.0 g/day, respectively. The proportion of women meeting the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of these macro-nutrients were 58.8%, 27.0% and 50.3% respectively. The average MAR of 14 nutrients was calculated to be 68% as the overall measure of nutrient adequacy. MAR correlated positively with DDS (r = 0.24 P < 0.001). Over 50% pregnant women obtained less than 66% of the RDA for iron, calcium, riboflavin, folic acid and vitamin B12. Conclusion: Diets of the majority of these pregnant women were deficient in several nutrients. Dietary diversity scores served as a useful proxy indicator of nutrient adequacy in this sample. In order to meet the requirements for essential nutrients, more effort should be made to promote dietary diversity among pregnant women in northern Ghana.