Food taboos and preferences among adolescent girls, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children aged 6–23 months in Mainland Tanzania

A qualitative study

Bibliographic Data

ID19590993
AuthorsAika Lekey (Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, corresponding author), Ray Masumo (0000-0002-3899-5918, Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, corresponding author), Theresia Jumbe (0000-0002-0186-4711, Sokoine University of Agriculture, corresponding author), Mangi J Ezekiel (Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, corresponding author), Mangi Ezekiel, Zahara Daudi (Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, corresponding author), Nangida Jeska Mchome (Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, corresponding author), Glory David, G Lalloo David (Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center, corresponding author), Winfrida Onesmo (Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, corresponding author), Germana H Leyna (0000-0001-7016-544X), Germana Leyna (Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, corresponding author)
EditorsHasanain Faisal Ghazi (0000-0003-0367-3596)
Year2024
Volume4
Issue8
Pagese0003598
Publication date2024-08-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0003598
PMID39133677
OpenAlexW4401507893
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited25

Malnutrition is a serious public health problem and has long-lasting economic consequences for individuals and families and, in turn, affects the economic growth of the country. Understanding food taboos and individual preferences for food items is critical to the development of effective nutritional programs and educational messages. The present study aimed to explore food taboos and preferences in food items among breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, adolescent girls, and their young children aged 6–23 months old. This is a qualitative cross-sectional study employing ethnography. A multistage sampling technique was used to select one region from the seven zones in mainland Tanzania. In each region, we purposively selected one rural ward and one urban ward. We conducted 25 focus group discussions with a total of 208 participants. We also conducted 42 in-depth interviews with nutrition officers, community health workers, religious leaders, influential persons, representatives of civil society organisations, and community leaders in the respective areas. We thematically coded the data and analyzed the narrative. Food taboos and individual preferences in food items continue to be practiced in Tanzania’s Mainland despite efforts to educate people on healthy diets. In some regions of Tanzania’s Mainland, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers were prohibited from eating eggs, meat, fish, or vegetables. In Arusha, adolescent girls were prohibited from eating goat meat similar to Singida where adolescent girls were prohibited from eating chicken thighs. It is believed that by feeding a young child with eggs her hair gets plucked. This study underscores that food taboos and preferences still exist in Tanzania Mainland, and implies gaps in the nutrition education. Thus, nutrition education campaigns and programs should address food taboos and preferences for the meaningful tackling of malnutrition

Breastfeeding · Environmental health · Focus group · Geography · Mainland · Malnutrition · Qualitative research · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Tanzania · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology · Pediatrics