Food taboos among indigenous pregnant women of Khagrachari District, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to explore food taboos among indigenous pregnant women in Bangladesh.

Methods: A mixed-method study was conducted among the Tripura, Chakma, and Marma communities in Khagrachari district of Bangladesh. To identify the list of existing tabooed foods, six focus group discussions were conducted with 36 women aged 15 years and above. For the quantitative part, 75 indigenous pregnant women were interviewed face-to-face to identify the commonly avoided food items during their current pregnancy. All the interviews were conducted in the participant's native language.

Results: A total of 64 different items were identified as tabooed food during pregnancy. Among the current pregnant, 46.6% were adhering to food taboos. The most commonly avoided fruits were pineapple (33.3%) and papaya (20.0%). For vegetables, organic sweet potato (4.0%) and pumpkin (2.6%) were the most common. For animal products, 8.0% of participants avoided fish of any kind, and 2.6% restricted duck meat. Cold food (4.0%) was the most avoided beverages and snacks. Betel leaf and nut (2.6%) were also in the list of tabooed food. Distinct locally grown Ghut Ghutte, Chinese yam, and wild yam were also refrained. The health and well-being of the baby were the main concerns behind the food taboos.

Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of food taboo practices among the indigenous pregnant women of Bangladesh. Tailored intervention programs to address misunderstandings, dispel myths, and encourage healthier food choices during pregnancy among the indigenous communities of Bangladesh can be beneficial for both pregnant and babies.