RESUMO
Background: The amount of calories and nutrients required for woman increase during pregnancy and Intake adequate amounts of nutrients is essential for the health of mother and foetal. This study was designed to investigate the effect of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on calories, iron and folic acid intake for pregnant women. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 76 pregnant women referring to four urban health centres of Khuzestan at 2015. Two education sessions were held covering items on nutrition during pregnancy. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire, HBM questionnaire (CVI= 0.89, CVI = 0.83 and Cronbach's alpha = 0.84) and 3-day food record form. Data collection tool was valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire based on the HBM. Data analysis was done applying Chi-squared t -test, Mann-Whitney U -test and Wilcoxon test using SPSS 15. Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean of calories, iron and folic acid intake in both groups. But after intervention, it was significant ( P <0.05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of health belief model constructs ( P > 0.05), but the difference was significant after intervention ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Educational intervention strategies based on HBM can improve dietary iron and folic acid intake in pregnant women in primary health care setting. Since anaemia is one of the leading indirect causes of maternal mortality and it is easily preventable, our findings have critical public health implications and perhaps might be used in evidence-based decision making by authority bodies.