An online qualitative study exploring wants and needs for a cooking programme during pregnancy in the UK and Ireland

Fiona Lavelle*, Claire McKernan, Vanessa A. Shrewsbury, Julia A. Wolfson, Rachael M. Taylor, Kerith Duncanson, Carla A. Martins, Christopher Elliott, Clare E. Collins

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background
Optimal maternal nutrition is associated with better pregnancy and infant outcomes. Culinary nutrition programmes have potential to improve diet quality during pregnancy. Therefore, this research aimed to understand the experiences of cooking and the wants and needs of pregnant women regarding a cooking and food skills programme in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI).

Methods
Online focus group discussions with pregnant women and those who had experienced a pregnancy in the UK or ROI were conducted between February and April 2022. Two researchers conducted a thematic analysis. Seven focus groups with ROI participants (n = 24) and six with UK participants (n = 28) were completed.

Results
Five themes were generated. These were (1) cooking during pregnancy: barriers, motivators and solutions; (2) food safety, stress and guilt; (3) need for cooking and food skills programmes and desired content; (4) programme structure; (5) barriers and facilitators to programme participation. Overall, there was support for a programme focusing on broad food skills, including planning, food storage, using leftovers and to manage pregnancy-specific physiological symptoms such as food aversions. Participants emphasised the importance of inclusivity for a diverse range of people and lifestyles for programme design and content.

Conclusions
Current findings support the use of digital technologies for culinary nutrition interventions, potentially combined with in-person sessions using a hybrid structure to enable the development of a support network.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)927-942
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association
Volume37
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Apr 2024

Keywords

  • Pregnancy
  • Cooking
  • Culinary nutrition
  • Qualitative
  • E-health
  • Hybrid

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