Food Choice Behaviors of Lactating Women: Association with Body Mass Index and Fruits and Vegetables Intake in Central Amhara Region, Ethiopia—An Observational Study

BACKGROUND: What food people choose to eat is embraced by circumstances that are essentially influenced by the underlying motives of food choices which are important to a healthful dietary change. Therefore, this study aimed to explore food choice behaviors associated with nutritional status and FVs intake in women during lactation from central Amhara. METHODS: A multistage sampling technique was applied to select study participants. A study was conducted among 423 randomly selected lactating women using a face-to-face interview of the questionnaire. A community-based cross-sectional, quantitative study with descriptive and analytical components was done. Anthropometrics measurements such as weight, height, waist, and hip circumference were taken from all participants. Body mass index was calculated to determine the nutritional status of women. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 computer software program. Association between dependent and independent variables was identified by logistic regression analysis, and a P-value< 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. RESULTS: About 21.7% of women were underweight. Approximately 37.4% of women had good consumption trends to fruits and vegetables. Healthy meal eating motivation, price-consciousness, and mood concern were identified as the most significant behaviors of food choice, influencing the nutritional status of women with AOR (95% CI) of 2.1 (1.21–3.62), 3.01 (1.32–6.9), and 0.5 (0.30–0.95), respectively. Natural content (AOR (95%): 2.37 (1.39–4.06)), mood concern (AOR (95%): 2.29 (1.15–4.56)), religion concern (AOR (95%): 2.45 (1.37–4.4)), husband encouragement (AOR (95%): 2.26 (1.04–4.89)), and availability of milk and milk products (AOR (95%): 1.6 (1.39–2.74)) and fruits and vegetables (AOR (95%): 1.66 (1.16–3.48)) in home were associated significantly with a good intake of fruit and vegetables. CONCLUSIONS: This finding provides a useful insight into the food choice motivations of a group of women with preference for natural foods, mood concern, religion concern, and husband support with good fruit and vegetable intake. This can help practitioners make recommendations for health promotion strategies. Emphasis on assisting women with healthy meal eating and avoiding psychological stress is important. Nutrition education about healthy food choice is recommended for communities.