Dietary habits in transition to parenthood: dietary habits before pregnancy, during pregnancy and in young families

Trends in dietary patterns in transition to parenthood were inferentially derived from the literature, in the absence or research in this area. It appears from the material reviewed that dietary habits improve nutritionally from childhood to young adulthood hence most pregnant women probably enter pregnancy with acceptable dietary habits. Exceptions to this generalization may be individuals for the lower socioeconomic groups, and ethnic groups such as blacks and Hispanics, and adolescents. These population groups have been found to have a high incidence of undernutrition from various surveys. Dietary cravings and aversions during pregnancy abound, almost universally. These are limited to the pregnant state and are therefore transitory changes in dietary habits. Generally, these do not diminish dietary quality, unless accompanied by exaggerated nausea and vomiting or the practice of pica. What transpires with the parents' dietary habits after the birth of the child and as the child grows older is subject to speculation. Evidence suggests that food habits of young children and their parents are similar, characterized by preference for sweets. It is possible that dietary habits of young parents deteriorate until their children are grown.