(PTFS05-02-23) Diet Quality Among Pregnant Adolescents and Adolescent Mothers in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: Healthy diets and adequate nutrition are essential for adolescents to achieve their growth and developmental potential. This need is even more critical among pregnant adolescents because of the negative impacts of inadequate nutrition on the growing young girl and the developing fetus. However, data on diet quality among this group is limited. This study aimed to examine diet quality among pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers in Ghana.

Methods: As part of the Healthy Adolescent Nutrition in Ghana study, cross-sectional data was collected from 417 pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers recruited from participating communities in Cape Coast, Ghana. Dietary data was collected by trained enumerators using the Global Diet Quality Questionnaire, a low-burden, list-based, validated tool designed for collecting population-level food group consumption data. Using the food group consumption data collected, we estimated dietary quality indicators including food group diversity score (FGDS, 0-10) and Minimum Diet Diversity for Women (MDD-W, FGDS≥5), an indicator of adequate micronutrient intake. We also estimated the Global Dietary Recommendations (GDR) score (0-18), the GDR-Healthy score (0-9: healthy food groups), and the GDR-Limit score (0-9: foods to limit/avoid), all indicators for dietary risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.

Results: The mean±SD age of participants was 17.8±1.24 years and BMI 22.3±3.5 kg/m². Most (76%) were not enrolled in school at the time of the study. On average, participants reported consuming about 5 out of 10 food groups (FGDS 4.9±1.7). A little more than half (56.8%) met the MDD-W. Less than a third consumed pulses (22%), nuts & seeds (35%), and eggs (37%), and less than half consumed fruits (48%). Only 23% reported consuming all 5 recommended food groups (fruits, vegetables, animal-source foods, starchy staples, and pulses/nuts/seeds). Whole grains (71%) and vegetables (93.7%) were commonly consumed. The mean GDR score, GDR-Healthy score and GDR-Limit score was estimated to be 10.1±1.7 (out of 18), 3.2±1.5 (out of 9) and 2.1±1.8 (out of 9), respectively.

Conclusions: In general, diets are not adequate for many pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers in Ghana. Interventions to improve diet quality among this sub-population are needed.

Funding Sources: Oklahoma State University