Rural-urban differences in dietary intake across pregnancy trimesters: A multisite prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Poor diet during pregnancy compromises maternal-fetal health and may reflect broader environmental and structural inequities. This study investigated differences in dietary intake across pregnancy among rural and urban women in the United States and assessed whether socioeconomic status (SES) modified rural-urban differences.

Methods

In this prospective study, pregnant women (n = 495; 22.4% rural) from three sites (Iowa, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) had dietary intake estimated via the 26-item Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ) during each trimester. Rural was defined as Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code ≥ 4. A SES score was derived using Principal Component Analysis of education, annual household income, and insurance type. Adjusted robust linear mixed-effect

SUBMITTER: Crisp AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12519541 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature