The importance of eating rice: changing food habits among pregnant Indonesian women during the economic crisis.

This article presents qualitative and quantitative research findings on food habits of pregnant Indonesian women in relation to the economic crisis that arose in 1997. Between 1996 and 1998, dietary intakes were estimated for 450 pregnant women in Central Java. Between January and June 1999, four focus group discussions, 16 in-depth interviews and four non-participant observations were held with women, two in-depth interviews were held with traditional birth attendants, and four with midwives. Women were categorized as urban or rural, rich or poor, and according to rice field ownership. The women reported that before the crisis they bought more foods and cooked more meals and snacks. During the crisis, cooking methods became simpler and cooking tasty foods was more important than cooking nutritious foods. This involved using plenty of spices and cooking oil, but reducing the use of expensive nutritious foods. The herbal drink jamu was drunk by 15% of pregnant women; its consumption was lower during than before the economic crisis. Twenty-six percent of the women avoided certain foods due to food taboos, and most of these women avoided beneficial foods; this phenomenon decreased during the crisis among the rich and the rural, poor, landless women. In spite of increased prices for rice, women did not decrease their rice consumption during the crisis because rice was believed to have the highest value for survival, to provide strength during pregnancy and delivery, and to be easier to store and cook. Finally, children and husbands had highest priority in being served food, and women were the last to eat.

Vitamin A intake is low among pregnant women in central Java, Indonesia.

From 1996-1998, a longitudinal study on nutritional status during pregnancy was carried out in Purworejo District, Central Java, Indonesia. Dietary intake was assessed in each trimester using six 24-hour recalls, and analyzed cross-sectionally among 493 women. The proportion of women below the Indonesian RDI for vitamin A (700 RE) ranged from 83% in the first trimester to 76% in the third. Regardless of total vitamin A intake, plant sources contributed 64-79% in all three trimesters. The contribution from animal and fortified sources was generally lower throughout pregnancy for those with low education compared to those with high education. Significant risk factors for having a low vitamin A intake (< FAO/WHO basal RDI, 370 RE) in the second and third trimesters were fewer than six years of education, low socio-economic status, a low energy intake, and a low vitamin A intake in the previous trimester. Home gardening and chicken-raising were not positively associated with vitamin A intakes. Given the large percentage of women with inadequate vitamin A intakes, further strategies are needed to increase the vitamin A intake of all pregnant women in this area.

Underreporting of energy intake is less common among pregnant women in Indonesia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ratio of reported energy intake to basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) among pregnant Indonesian women, as well as identifying risk factors for being an underreporter. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of dietary intake, using six repeated 24-hour diet recalls each trimester. Basal metabolic rate was estimated from body weight and physical activity from occupation. The lower 95% confidence interval for plausible EI/BMR was calculated and the proportion of underreporters estimated. Risk factors for being an underreporter were assessed in multivariate logistic regression analyses. SETTING: Purworejo District, central Java, Indonesia. SUBJECTS: Pregnant women RESULTS: For the three trimesters, EI/BMR ratio was and (mean+/-standard deviation), respectively. The proportion of underreporters was 29.7%, 16.2% and 17.6%. Characteristics significantly associated with underreporting in at least one trimester included high body mass index and low education. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of underreporting were low among the pregnant Indonesian women during the second and third trimesters. The low EI/BMR ratio during the first trimester likely reflects a true low intake due to nausea, rather than underreporting. Risk factors for being an underreporter included those known from developed countries, i.e. obesity and low education.