Factors associated with dietary practice and nutritional status of pregnant women in Dessie town, northeastern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

Table 5 Frequency and percent of specific dietary practice related variables among pregnant women in Dessie town, northeastern Ethiopia, 2017 G.C, (N = 604)

Variables	Frequency	Percent
Crave food not normally consumed*
Yes	278	46
Avoid any food items during current pregnancy*
Yes	354	58.6
Reason of avoiding food items
Personal dislike	179	29.6
Religion	39	6.5
Makes fetus big	17	2.8
Culture	15	2.5
Follow specific dietary regime*
Yes	225	37.3
Meal frequency
< 3 meals	284	47
3 meals	320	53
Eat snack between meals during current pregnancy*
Yes	439	72.7
Skipping any meal during current pregnancy*
Yes	131	21.7
Skipped Which meals
Dinner	68	11.3
Breakfast	61	10.1
Lunch	2	0.3
Eat protein rich foods during current pregnancy^a
Yes	487	80.6
Habits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables^a
Yes	475	78.6
Use iodized salt^a
Yes	564	93.4
Time of adding salt into cooking food
At the end of cooking	376	62.2
At the middle of cooking	76	12.6
At the beginning of cooking	146	24.2
Cook without any salt	6	1.0
Amount of fluid drunk per day
Less than a liter	358	59.3
1–1.5 l	168	27.8
More than 1.5 l	78	12.9
Include the following in fluid
Milk	92	15.2
Fruit juice	83	13.7
Soup	141	23.3
Herbal tea	288	47.8
Follow weight gain during current pregnancy
Yes	281	46.5

ISSN: 1471-2393