Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Correspondence: berhanuberuk gmail. About half of Ethiopians belong to the Orthodox Tewahedo religion. Annually, more than days are dedicated to religious fasting, which includes abstaining from all types of food, animal source foods, and water. However, the association of fasting with undernutrition remains unknown in Ethiopia.
Therefore, dietary pattern and nutritional status of lactating women during lent fasting and non-fasting periods were studied, and predictor variables for maternal underweight were identified. Average minimum diet diversity MDD-W was computed from two h recalls, and nutritional status was assessed using body mass index BMI. Binary logistic regression was used to identify potential predictors of maternal underweight.
The prevalence of underweight in fasting mothers was As a conclusion, Ethiopian Orthodox fasting negatively affected maternal nutritional status and dietary pattern in rural Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.
To reduce maternal malnutrition in Ethiopia, existing multi-sectoral nutrition intervention strategies, should include religious institutions in a sustainable manner. Undernutrition is a serious public health problem worldwide. It is the underlying cause for 3. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO estimates, the global prevalence of chronically undernourished people increased from million Eastern Africa is one of the four sub-regions in sub-Saharan Africa, where one-third Good nutritional status of women is important for their good health and working capacity, as well as for the health of their offspring [ 1 ].
During pregnancy and lactation, women are more vulnerable to undernutrition than others at reproductive age, due to increased energy and nutrient requirements [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Globally in , the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women was Food taboos refer to those foods which are strictly forbidden for health, cultural, and religious reasons [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].
