The traditional humoral food habits of pregnant Vietnamese–Australian women and their effect on birth weight
- 1 December 1995
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Australian Journal of Public Health
- Vol. 19 (6), 629-633
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.1995.tb00469.x
Abstract
Vietnamese-Australian women have infants with lower birth weight than Australian-born women. Traditional humoral food habits, based on ancient Chinese medicine, are more likely to be followed during life changes like pregnancy. These food habits may influence maternal energy intake, weight gain and therefore infant birth weight. This study determined the proportion of pregnant Vietnamese women in southwestern Sydney who practise traditional humoral food habits, and their effect on birth weight. A cohort of 113 pregnant Vietnamese-born women were questioned on smoking status, height, weight, parity, food practices and demographics. Dietary intake was measured in each trimester. Known risk factors and infant birth weights were collected from medical records for participants and nonresponders. Fifty-seven per cent practised the traditional food habits. There were no differences in energy intake or weight gain between the two groups. After adjusting for confounders, birth weight was estimated to be 3257 g (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 3205 to 3309) and 3272 g (CI 3211 to 3333) for the infants of traditional and nontraditional women respectively. Following humoral food habits does not appear to affect birth weight. Women who choose to follow these traditions should not be discouraged from doing so.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Heart disease risk factors in the Vietnamese community of southwestern SydneyAustralian Journal of Public Health, 1993
- Obstetric and birthweight differences between Vietnam‐born and Australian‐born womenThe Medical Journal of Australia, 1992
- Sampling Asian minorities to assess health and welfare.Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 1991
- Philippino and Vietnamese Women — A Study of Intrapartum DifferencesAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1989
- Obstetric Profiles of Immigrant Women from Non‐English Speaking Countries in South Australia, 1981–1983Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1988
- Yin and Yang in the health-related food practices of three Chinese groupsJournal of Nutrition Education, 1984
- A COMPUTERISED DIETARY ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR USE WITH DIET DIARIES OR FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRESCommunity Health Studies, 1984
- Indochinese refugee fertility rates and pregnancy risk factors, Oregon.American Journal of Public Health, 1983
- Pregnancy outcomes of Indochinese refugees, Santa Clara County, California.American Journal of Public Health, 1982
- Infant feeding practices and lactation diets amongst Vietnamese immigrantsJournal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 1980