(P02-023-25) The Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Micronutrient Intake in Taiwanese Pregnant Women During the Third Trimester

Objectives: Micronutrient intake during pregnancy often falls short of meeting the increased nutritional demands. Dietary habits are significantly influenced by socioeconomic factors. This study explored the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and micronutrient intake among pregnant women in their third trimester.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women in the third trimester (n = 634) in Taiwan using the Nationwide Nutrition and Health Survey. Dietary assessment was performed using a standardized semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and a 24-h dietary recall method. Categorical data were presented as n (%), and continuous data were presented as mean (SD). Student’s t test was utilized to investigate the associations of micronutrient intake with SES. The P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significance.

Results: The majority of study participants aged between 25 and 35 years (70.7%). Most of the study participants had an education level of undergraduate or higher (82.2%). The results revealed low mean values for energy intake. Similarly, inadequate mean intakes compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) or adequate intake (AI) in Taiwan were observed for folate (214.5 µg, SD 94.4), vitamin D (8.8 µg, SD 15.9), and iron (11.8 mg, SD 17.2) among pregnant women in the third trimester. Participants with higher education levels demonstrated significantly higher energy intake (P < 0.05). Additionally, pregnant women with higher monthly incomes reported higher supplemental intake of multivitamin/multimineral, and folate (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Pregnant women with high education levels had significantly greater energy intake.

Funding Sources: No funding was received for this secondary data analysis.