Determining the Diet Quality, Chronotype, Chrononutrition Behavior, Sleep Quality, and Mood of Pregnant Women in their Third Trimester in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia has a high prevalence of perinatal mental illness and poor birth outcomes. Prenatal environment is a modifiable risk factor that is imperative for optimal maternal and birth outcomes. This study aimed to determine the diet quality, chronotype, chrononutrition behavior, sleep quality, and mood of pregnant women in their 3rd trimester around Kuala Lumpur. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in three government maternity and child clinics in Kuala Lumpur, recruiting 30 healthy pregnant women in their third trimester, aged 18-39 years old, and carrying a single pregnancy through purposive sampling. Data were collected using 2-day estimated dietary food recall and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) analysis, Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Mid-Sleep Time on Free Days Corrected for Sleep Debt on Work Days (MSFsc), Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire - Pregnancy (CPQ-P), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Most pregnant women were identified to be intermediate (37.04%) and evening (37.04%) chronotypes. Low intakes of legumes (HEI = 1.08), fruits (HEI = 2.26), fish and seafood (HEI = 3.08), milk products (HEI = 4.48), and vegetables (HEI = 4.92), and inadequate energy intake were observed. The majority of pregnant women consume breakfast regularly (86.7%), more than half snacks after their last meal (53.4%), and a few skip breakfast (13.3%), engage in night eating (16.7%), and have meal irregularity (13.3%). A huge proportion experience poor sleep quality (84.6%). Higher levels of distress than positive engagement were identified. The present study has successfully determined prenatal factors of pregnant women that may leave potential implications for maternal and fetal health. Future studies could explore correlations between these factors and use longitudinal approaches to assess maternal influences on infant outcomes.