Nutrition Literacy Among Latina/x People During Pregnancy Is Associated With Socioeconomic Position

Abstract

Background: During pregnancy, Latina/x people experience nutrition and nutrition-related health inequities. Nutrition literacy is a potential factor impacted by these inequities. However, the nutrition literacy level of Latina/x people during pregnancy is not well investigated.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the nutrition literacy level of Latina/x people during pregnancy and explore the association of nutrition literacy with socioeconomic position.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study of data collected from 2016 to 2018 within the double-blinded, randomized clinical trial Assessment of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Reducing Early Preterm Birth.

Participants/setting: A total of 112 Latina/x people during pregnancy from the Kansas City metro area were included in this study.

Main outcome measures: Nutrition literacy level assessed between 12 and 20 gestational weeks using the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument, both in English and Spanish.

Statistical analyses performed: Descriptive measures were used to describe the nutrition literacy level during pregnancy. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between low nutrition literacy and socioeconomic position, adjusting for age and race.

Results: In this study, most participants demonstrated low nutrition literacy during pregnancy. Those with low nutrition literacy were 2 times more likely to have low annual household income (odds ratio [OR] = 2.74, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-7.59), 3 times more likely to prefer Spanish as their primary language of communication (OR = 3.03, 95% CI: 0.95-9.67), and 7 times more likely to be uninsured (OR = 7.47; 95% CI: 1.57-35.64).

Conclusions: Nutrition literacy scores during pregnancy were associated with variables of socioeconomic position. Future research should focus on nutrition literacy associations with health outcomes during pregnancy and interventions to improve the nutrition literacy level of primarily Spanish-speaking people who have low household incomes and are uninsured.

Keywords: Disparities; Latina/x; Nutrition literacy; Pregnancy; Socioeconomic position.