Food practices among postnatal mothers in a hilly township in Northeastern Nepal.

A descriptive study on food practice among postnatal mothers in a hilly township in northeastern Nepal was carried out with 50 mothers (aged 20-39 years) of different ethnic groups (Adibasi-Janajati: 46.0%, Bahun/ Chhetri: 34.0% and Dalit 20.0%). Findings show that this township was representative of a rural area in northeastern Nepal in terms of demographic characteristics like mixed ethnic composition, high illiteracy rate (especially among women), joint family structure in majority of the households (80% of the total participants) and agriculture as the more common occupation (44% of the total participants). It was seen that various factors are responsible for affecting food practices of mothers during the postnatal period in this region. Socio-cultural beliefs are contributory to the food practices followed, like the frequency of meals/day eaten by the mothers. Other factors that affected were: Lower economic status of the family (33% of Dalit women and 50% of women who work as laborers were only eating meals two times a day); Support from the family (75% of women living in joint families were eating meals four times a day while 80% of the women living in nuclear families were eating meals three times a day); It also showed more attention and care was given to younger, first-time mothers (younger mothers who were mostly first-time mothers were eating meals four times a day while experienced and older mothers were eating meals three times a day). The study also showed that there are food taboos surrounding specific food items, which were not consumed from 11 days to six months after delivery based on various socio-cultural beliefs and practices.