Maternal dietary pattern and its association with birthweight in Northern Ethiopia: A hospital-based cross-sectional...

Birthweight is a useful public health measure of maternal health, nutrition, healthcare delivery, and child morbidity and mortality. Previous research did not focus on dietary patterns but rather on a single or a few foods or nutrients. This study aimed to assess the maternal dietary pattern and its association with birthweight in northern Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 373 pregnant mothers in their third trimester of pregnancy who came to attend their routine antenatal care service. The food frequency questionnaire was collected from the previous week, and the birthweight data were collected from the medical records after delivery. Three maternal dietary patterns were identified; dietary pattern includes eggs, milk, milk products, and certain fruits and roots. Dietary pattern 2 includes certain vegetables, green leafy vegetables, vitamin A-rich vegetables, pulses such as beans, peas, and chickpeas, and drinks like coffee, tea, and soda. Dietary pattern 3 includes meat, nuts, and grains such as teff, corn, wheat, and white flour. Dietary pattern 1 (β = 52.45, p = .03) and dietary pattern 2 (β = 66.76, p = .01), residency (β = 287.08, p < .001), a mid-upper-arm circumference of 21-23 cm (β = 187.10, p = .02), a mid-upper-arm circumference of >23 cm (β = 272, p = .01), and gestational age at delivery (β = 12.58, p = .004) were the factors significantly associated with increased birthweight. The maternal dietary pattern has a significant association with birthweight. The focus should be given to maternal dietary patterns to prevent suboptimal and high birthweight.