Determination of knowledge level and consumption status of pregnant women about milk and dairy products

Food is any substance taken by the organism from the external environment and used in its metabolism. Nutrients are both a source of energy and essential for the growth, repair, defense and proliferation of cells. The most appropriate feeding style in terms of type and quantity ensures our development, protects our health and prevents diseases. Pregnancy is a critical period in which maternal nutrition and lifestyle greatly affect the health of the mother and child. Evidence that maternal nutrition can change the hereditary structure of the baby has been seen in many previous studies. Adequate nutrition is important for the good outcome of pregnancy because the diet is an indispensable resource for meeting the mother's energy demands, increasing the tissues and placenta, and providing the nutrients necessary for the development of the baby. Scientific studies have shown that pregnant women themselves and their children develop before and after birth, protect from diseases, provide energy, protein, vitamins and minerals that most of the major and minor components, each of which is important for health, can be obtained from milk and milk products. It is very important that the target audience is conscious in this context. In this study conducted in line with the explanations, questionnaires prepared beforehand were asked to 400 people selected randomly pregnant women who were active in the food sector or worked previously in the food sector in Istanbul / Beylikdüzü district or pregnant women coming the Dokuz Eylül University Hospital operating in İzmir / Balçova district. SPSS 22.0 program was used to analyze the responses of the participants. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the participants level of knowledge about milk and dairy products and their consumption status are superficially good in position, age level, education level, number of people living in the household and monthly income status have an effect on the knowledge level and consumption situation, digestive disorders experienced before and during pregnancy have more effect on consumption and the effect of education level was higher than other variables.