Importance Of Food Taboos

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PERVASIVENESS OF FOOD TABOOS AMONG INDIAN MOTHERS DURING REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD
V. Punithavathi, M.Sc.,M.Phil.
Project Associate, Department and Centre for Women’s Studies,
Mother Teresa Women’s University.

ABSTRACT
All society has its own traditional beliefs and practices related to health care in general and regarding harmful as well as beneficial effects of foods for women during pregnancy. A cross - sectional study conducted on rural Indian mothers of Madurai District Tamil Nadu. Purpose of this study was to identify the food taboos during the reproduction period with special reference to pregnancy and lactation. It was observed that most of the (76%) mothers were in the age group of 19-25 years followed by (24%) 26-30 years. Ninety eight …show more content…
Since maternal nutrition plays an important role in pregnancy outcomes, ignorance about its needs can cause permanent damage to the health of the newborn. A cross sectional study conducted on traditional belief and taboos on the feeding practices and nutritional status of pregnant women. The results of the survey showed that 54% of the pregnant women adhere to traditional beliefs and food taboo; 38% of the women were malnourished and 62% were within the range of the expected body weight. …show more content…
These factors might give clear-cut knowledge on avoiding foods and special foods during reproductive period. Most of the mothers (50%) were got married during 18-19 years followed by (37.33%) 20-21 years of their age. Very few of them (1.33%) got married after 22years of age. Nearly everyone (74.67%) got their first pregnancy within one year of their marriage, next to (22%) of them were got within two years. Half of the study population (49.33%) had 2 pregnancies, and three pregnancies (24.16%). Very few of them had one pregnancy (16%) and four pregnancies

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