Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Behaviours and Supplementation Practices Among Pregnant Women in Poland: A Repeated...

Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is essential for maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, and foetal development. However, general awareness of healthy eating may not translate into detailed nutritional knowledge or appropriate dietary practices. This study assessed nutritional knowledge and selected dietary behaviours among pregnant women from urban and rural areas of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, in two periods: 2008-2010 and 2017-2019.

A repeated cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 938 pregnant women, including 630 respondents surveyed in 2008-2010 and 308 in 2017-2019. The original questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, nutritional knowledge, dietary behaviours, sources of information, supplementation practices, and selected health-related behaviours. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88).

Most respondents were aged 25-34 years, married, and had normal pre-pregnancy or early-pregnancy BMI. Compared with 2008-2010, women surveyed in 2017-2019 more often had higher education and more frequently reported income above the predefined questionnaire threshold. Although general awareness of healthy nutrition during pregnancy was high, detailed knowledge of key nutrients remained insufficient. Correct knowledge of the role of folic acid was reported by 58% of respondents, iron by 36%, vitamin D by 29%, iodine by 21%, and calcium by 18%. Prenatal supplement use was common, but only 39% reported supplementation based on medical recommendations. Frequently reported dietary problems included irregular meals, low fish consumption, frequent sweets intake, insufficient water intake, and low vegetable and fruit consumption. Knowledge of selected nutrient-rich foods was higher in 2017-2019, particularly for omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin D sources.

Nutritional knowledge was heterogeneous, and practical gaps in dietary behaviours persisted, supporting the need for accessible and individualized prenatal nutrition education.