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Case Studies of Vegetable Intake and Dietary Choices among Postpartum Mothers and their Infants

Fowler, Christine E.

Abstract Details

2011, MS, University of Cincinnati, Allied Health Sciences: Nutrition.

Objective: Explore the most commonly reported food choices between breastfeeding (BF) and formula feeding (FF) mother-infant pairs receiving comprehensive nutrition education (with an emphasis on dark green and dark yellow vegetables) and breastfeeding and formula feeding mother-infant pairs receiving standard nutrition handouts.

Subjects: A subset of four mother-infant pairs (breastfeeding-intervention, breastfeeding-control, formula feeding-intervention, and formula feeding-control) were selected from an ongoing study regarding the eating patterns of infants and mothers (G. Falciglia, PI). Participants were mothers who were six weeks post-partum, between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five, with a Body Mass Index greater than twenty-five. Each woman’s respective single-birth, full-term infant comprised the other component of the pairs.

Study Design: Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (nutrition education program consisting of four in-person sessions, weekly phone calls, and dietary monitoring tools) or the control group (standard nutrition information in the form of two written handouts only).

Methods: Three days of self-reported 24-hour recalls were collected from mother-child pairs within one week at time points: baseline (infant age six weeks), infant age six months, infant age twelve months, and infant age eighteen months. Nutrition Data System for Research computer software (NDSR) was used to collect nutrition information. Food amounts consumed were expressed in grams to allow for discrepancy between adult versus infant serving sizes. Reported dietary choices were collected as the specific food and subsequently further categorized into groups (ex. Dark Green Vegetables, Other Dairy, Rice and Pasta, etc.).

Results: Based on the dietary recalls of the four previously discussed mother-infant pair case studies, several patterns of food item selection were observed. With primary interest to the study’s goal, the frequency of reported target vegetables consumed appeared to be greater in intervention group mother-infant pairs versus control group mother-infant pairs. Additionally, foods introduced at infant age 6 months were also frequently consumed at infant ages of 12 and 18 months of age. By the infant age of 12 months, intervention mothers and infants reported three or more congruent food items per recall time point. Alternatively, control mothers and infants reported consistently less similarities of food item consumption. Each observation demonstrates an important anecdotal trend which may be utilized in further study of methods of dietary intervention. However, statistical analysis among a larger population remains necessary in order to assess for significant differences.

Conclusion: Structured nutrition education sessions, phone calls, and vegetable monitoring appeared to enhance participant adherence towards increased vegetable consumption among intervention group mother-infant pairs. As the primary provider of nutritional care, parental influence of dietary selection may strongly influence a child’s health status for the rest of his or her life. Among study participants, infants whose mothers consumed high levels of vegetables were more likely to have diets which also included these foods.

Graciela Falciglia, PhD (Committee Chair)
Seung-Yeon Lee, PhD (Committee Member)
60 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fowler, C. E. (2011). Case Studies of Vegetable Intake and Dietary Choices among Postpartum Mothers and their Infants [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1307125344

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fowler, Christine. Case Studies of Vegetable Intake and Dietary Choices among Postpartum Mothers and their Infants. 2011. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1307125344.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fowler, Christine. "Case Studies of Vegetable Intake and Dietary Choices among Postpartum Mothers and their Infants." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1307125344

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)