Promoting healthy eating and ensuring adequate weight gain in pregnant adolescents: issues and strategies.

The seven specific strategies discussed for promoting the nutritional health of pregnant adolescents can be categorized into three broad areas: (1) improve nutrition knowledge and skills of adolescents, as well as health care providers; (2) improve programs, including access to prenatal care, and developing effective nutrition interventions; and (3) direct research efforts to better understand barriers to behavior change and conduct scientifically rigorous program evaluations of efficacy of nutrition interventions. Nutritional health should be viewed within the context of improving overall health and lifestyles. Simple solutions focused solely at the individual level are not effective. We need to advocate for and support policy efforts to address the economic, familial, and social issues that impact health and adolescent pregnancy.

Duke Scholars

Author Mary T Story Family Medicine and Community Health