Assessment of Nutritional Status and Related Factors of Lactating Women in the Urban and Rural Areas of Southwestern Iran: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
Mahnaz Mardani, Amir Abbasnezhad, Farzad Ebrahimzadeh and 3 others
PMID 32039281WHAT IT FOUND
In 708 lactating mothers in Khorramabad, Iran, average calorie intake was 1,750.67 kcal against 2,380 recommended, and most vitamins and minerals were low.
Rural mothers had higher protein and several vitamins and minerals than urban mothers.
Key findings
01Mean energy intake was 1,750.67±412.05 kcal, significantly lower than the 2,380 kcal DRI (P<0.001).
02Except iron and phosphor, mean micronutrient intakes were below recommended values; vitamins A, D, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iodine were under 75% DRI.
03Rural mothers had significantly higher intake of vitamins K, B1, B2, B3, C, protein, magnesium, phosphor, zinc, copper, and iodine than urban mothers, while energy intake did not differ (P=0.7).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
It is cross-sectional, so it cannot show that low diet caused poor health or that nutrition education would improve outcomes. Diet was based on self-reported 24-hour recall and three-day records, which may not capture usual intake. The study included only women from Khorramabad health centers in 2012 who were lactating for 12 months or less and breastfeeding at least three times a day, so it may not apply to all lactating women. No infant growth, milk supply, or breastfeeding outcomes were measured. BMI in nursing mothers was interpreted without specific postpartum classifications, so weight categories may not mean the same as in non-lactating adults.
Declared interests
No funding or conflict-of-interest statement is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these low nutrient intakes as proof that infants were malnourished or that a nutrition programme would improve breastfeeding. The study measured mothers' reported intake only, had no infant outcomes, and cannot show cause and effect.