Awareness, Attitude and Behaviour Related to the Intake of Dietary Supplements among Malaysian Pregnant Women

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction: With the expanding need of nutrients to support fetal growth during pregnancy, pregnant women are recommended to take dietary supplements. However, the intake of these supplements in Malaysia are not much reported. We aimed to determine the awareness, attitude and behaviour among pregnant women related to intake of dietary supplements during pregnancy and associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant women attending Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist Clinic at Penang General Hospital between April and June 2018. Convenience sampling was used, and data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Awareness, attitude and behaviour were reported as frequency and percentages, and logistic regression was used to report associated factors. Analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics (Version 22). Results: A total of 273 respondents completed the questionnaires. While the awareness level on the role of dietary supplements during pregnancy is high (87.9%, n=240), only half of the respondents had a good attitude (53.5%, n=146) and had been taking essential supplements during pregnancy (49.1%, n=134). Having health problem was inversely associated with a good attitude towards the use of dietary supplements (OR=0.52, 95% CI 0.31-0.88), while respondents with a good awareness and a good attitude were more likely to consume dietary supplements (OR 6.51, 95% CI 2.42 – 17.55, OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.26 – 3.41, respectively). Conclusion: While the awareness level on the role of dietary supplements during pregnancy is high, only half of the respondents had a good attitude towards its intake and had been taking essential supplements during pregnancy.