Project
Early start - Maternal and child nutrition
A healthy diet is important for everyone, but crucial during pregnancy for the health of both mother and child. However, pregnant women, especially those with lower socioeconomic status (SES), often fail to meet the nutritional requirements. Healthy nutrition promotion by midwives is very promising, but midwives find it difficult to contribute to a healthier dietary intake for pregnant women. The goal of this research project is to find out what strategies empower (low SES) pregnant women to have a healthier dietary intake. This will contribute to a healthy and successful start of life.
In this research, an integral empowerment strategy will be further developed, implemented, evaluated and optimized jointly with stakeholders – i.e. midwives, dieticians and pregnant women and their partners. The strategy aims to empower (low SES) pregnant women to have a healthier dietary intake. The integral strategy will be implemented in at least ten municipalities with the aim to reach 500 pregnant women. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, insights will be gained into the impact of the proposed integral strategy on pregnant women, their experiences with the strategy and the evaluation of the strategy by midwives and dieticians in terms of benefits and barriers, impact, and multidisciplinary collaboration. In addition, aspects of the strategy will be further developed and expanded – such as partner involvement and bridging antenatal and postnatal care regarding dietary support.
The project is part of the “Regio Deal Foodvalley”, part 2: "Nutrition and Health, from early start to the old day”
This project builds onto the projects “Why pregnant women eat what they eat” and “Power 4 a Healthy Pregnancy”.