Perceptions of Tailored Dietary Advice to Improve the Nutrient Adequacy of the Diet in French Pregnant Women.

Tailored dietary counseling could be specifically efficient during pregnancy, a period accompanied by a rise in nutrition awareness, but little is known about the expectations of pregnant women in this regard. We studied these expectations regarding tailored dietary advice in French women during their pregnancy, as well as their motivations and the perceived barriers and enablers. In French pregnant women, we evaluated the perceptions of tailored dietary advice provided by stepwise dietary counseling based on three types of dietary changes, consisting of: (1) a modification of the amounts consumed, (2) substitutions within the food subgroups, and (3) substitutions between food subgroups. A sequential explanatory mixed-method approach was designed. Using qualitative data from a focus group study (n = 40), we intended to explore in depth the women's expectations regarding dietary advice and adherence to a tailored approach. These were combined with quantitative and qualitative data from a 6-week online longitudinal study (n = 115), using questionnaires designed to assess the modifications of dietary habits during pregnancy and to evaluate each type of dietary change. Both studies confirmed that most women in our samples did indeed intend to institute changes regarding healthier dietary practices during pregnancy. The principal motivation behind changes to their habits was to ensure the health and well-being of both their babies and themselves. The proposal of dietary advice that is tailored to both the current diet and the specific needs of pregnant women, but that is also positive and credible, was perceived as enabling implementing healthier dietary practices during pregnancy. Regarding the implementation of the dietary changes proposed, the enablers and barriers identified differed between modifications of the amounts consumed and substitutions. The women displayed interest in all types of dietary changes. This gave relevance to combining different types of changes in order to propose dietary counseling during pregnancy. Tailored dietary counseling was identified by French pregnant women in our samples as enabling them to adopt a healthier diet. However, perceived barriers might limit the implementation of dietary changes, especially when they involved marked modifications to their usual diet.

Computer-based tailored dietary counselling improves the nutrient adequacy of the diet of French pregnant women: a randomised controlled trial.

During pregnancy, mothers-to-be should adapt their diet to meet increases in nutrient requirements. Pregnant women appear to be keener to adopt healthier diets, but are not always successful. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a guided, stepwise and tailored dietary counselling programme, designed using an optimisation algorithm, could improve the nutrient adequacy of the diet of pregnant women, beyond generic guidelines. Pregnant women (n 80) who attended Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Maternity Clinic were randomly allocated to the control or intervention arm. Dietary data were obtained twice from an online 3-d dietary record. The nutrient adequacy of the diet was calculated using the PANDiet score, a 100-point diet quality index adapted to the specific nutrient requirements for pregnancy. Women were supplied with generic dietary guidelines in a reference booklet. In the intervention arm, they also received nine sets of tailored dietary advice identified by an optimisation algorithm as best improving their PANDiet score. Pregnant women (n 78) completed the 12-week dietary follow-up. Initial PANDiet scores were similar in the control and intervention arms (60·4 (sd 7·3) v. 60·3 (sd 7·3), P = 0·92). The PANDiet score increased in the intervention arm (+3·6 (sd 9·3), P = 0·02) but not in the control arm (-0·3 (sd 7·3), P = 0·77), and these changes differed between arms (P = 0·04). In the intervention arm, there were improvements in the probabilities of adequacy for α-linolenic acid, thiamin, folate and cholesterol intakes (P < 0·05). Tailored dietary counselling using a computer-based algorithm is more effective than generic dietary counselling alone in improving the nutrient adequacy of the diet of French women in mid-pregnancy.