Women often make dietary changes during pregnancy; however, dietary modifications and reasons for changes are not well studied. We aimed to describe the dietary changes made during pregnancy, describe reasons for dietary changes, and determine what changes aligned with recommendations. Pregnant women (n = 379) recruited to the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study in 2009/2010 completed a questionnaire in which they described dietary changes made during pregnancy and reasons for those changes. Changes and reasons were coded into categories. Women commonly reported increasing their intake of milk products, fruit, and sweet items and commonly decreased or eliminated intake of caffeine, alcohol, and meats. Women frequently reduced intake of foods for the baby’s health and increased foods to satisfy cravings. Changes made commonly aligned with recommendations for caffeine, alcohol intake, food safety, milk and alternatives, and fruit. Changes contrary to recommendations were common for fish and meats. The dietary changes women make during pregnancy appear to reflect women’s efforts to balance physiological changes accompanying pregnancy with the desire for healthy pregnancy outcomes. Understanding the reasons behind dietary change during pregnancy will help researchers and health professionals design effective strategies and public health messages to promote healthier pregnancies.

Background: The objective of this study was to describe women’s processes for finding pregnancy-related nutrition information, their experiences seeking this information online and their ideas for improving internet sources of this information. Methods: In total, 97 pregnant women completed an online quantitative questionnaire and 10 primiparous pregnant women completed semi-structured telephone interviews. Questionnaires and interviews asked participants to describe sources of pregnancy-related nutrition information; time of seeking; processes of searching online; experiences searching online; ideas for improving information found online. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi square tests; interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Nearly all (96%) survey participants sought nutrition information online. Information was most commonly sought during the first trimester of pregnancy. Motivators for using the internet included convenience and lack of support from health care providers. Barriers to using online information included lack of trust, difficulty finding information and worry. Women adapted the information they found online to meet their needs and reported making positive changes to their diets. Conclusions: The internet is a key source of prenatal nutrition information that women report using to make positive dietary changes. Women would benefit from improved access to trustworthy internet sources, increased availability of information on different diets and health conditions, and increased support from health care providers.

Background: Dental caries is the most common health condition worldwide, and nutrition and dental caries have a strong interconnected relationship. Foods and eating behaviors can be both harmful (eg, sugar) and healthful (eg, meal spacing) for dental caries. YouTube is a popular source for the public to access information. To date, there is no information available on the nutrition and dental caries content of easily accessible YouTube videos. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the content of YouTube videos on nutrition and dental caries. Methods: In total, 6 YouTube searches were conducted using keywords related to nutrition and dental caries. The first 20 videos were selected from each search. Video content was scored (17 possible points; higher scores were associated with more topics covered) by 2 individuals based on the inclusion of information regarding various foods and eating behaviors that impact dental caries risk. For each video, information on video characteristics (ie, view count, length, number of likes, number of dislikes, and video age) was captured. Videos were divided into 2 groups by view rate (views/day); differences in scores and types of nutrition messages between groups were determined using nonparametric statistics. Results: In total, 42 videos were included. Most videos were posted by or featured oral health professionals (24/42, 57%). The mean score was 4.9 (SD 3.4) out of 17 points. Videos with >30 views/day (high view rate; 20/42, 48% videos) had a trend toward a lower score (mean 4.0, SD 3.7) than videos with ≤30 views/day (low view rate; 22/42, 52%; mean 5.8, SD 3.0; P=.06), but this result was not statistically significant. Sugar was the most consistently mentioned topic in the videos (31/42, 74%). No other topics were mentioned in more than 50% of videos. Low–view rate videos were more likely to mention messaging on acidic foods and beverages (P=.04), water (P=.09), and frequency of sugar intake (P=.047) than high–view rate videos. Conclusions: Overall, the analyzed videos had low scores for nutritional and dental caries content. This study provides insights into the messaging available on nutrition and dental caries for the public and guidance on how to make improvements in this area.

Background: Tooth decay is an important public health concern affecting individuals of all ages. Dietary intake is critical to tooth decay prevention as both the types of foods and beverages consumed and how food and beverages are consumed (eg, frequency) can impact risk. Foods and beverages can both protect against and promote tooth decay. Objective: This study aims to explore information targeted to the public on diet and tooth decay available from websites of professional organizations and regulatory bodies in Canada and the readability of this information. Methods: Canadian websites of regulatory bodies and professional organizations for dietitians, oral health professionals, nurses, and physicians in Canada were thoroughly searched by 2 researchers (MF and JL) from June to August 2020 for information related to diet and tooth decay targeted to the public. Web pages were downloaded and underwent content analysis using NVivo software (version 12; QSR International). For each website, approximately 2 web pages focused on diet and tooth decay were selected to undergo readability testing. Results: Overall, 213 web pages from 23 websites were found to contain information on diet and tooth decay. Of the 23 websites analyzed, 12 (52%) were from dental organizations, 7 (30%) from dental hygiene organizations, and only 1 (4%) from a dietitian organization. Messaging was present on numerous web pages focusing on diet and tooth decay and those that have other focuses (eg, oral hygiene tips for infants and children and general oral health tips). Messaging depth varied across all web pages, ranging from general advice (eg, consume a “healthy diet”) to specific recommendations (eg, amount of juice to consume per day). Many web pages targeted parents and school-aged children; fewer web pages targeted other age groups (eg, adolescents and older adults). Three major themes were identified: Foods, Beverages, and Behaviors to Limit; Foods, Beverages, and Behaviors to Choose; and Mixed and Other Unclear Messages. The most frequently discussed topic was sugar (mentioned in 67% of web pages). Sugar was often discussed in the context of limitation, infant feeding, and strategies for tooth-friendly consumption. The average Flesch-Kincaid grade level was 7.1 (SD 1.8), which exceeds the grade 6–level recommendation. Conclusions: This analysis of web pages found that diet and tooth decay was heavily discussed throughout websites for Canadian health professional organizations, with many web pages targeting parents and school-aged children. The readability of many analyzed web pages was above the recommended grade 6 reading level. The development of comprehensive national guidelines related to diet and tooth decay would be helpful to ensure that consistent and clear messaging is available on this topic.

Canada has a long history of immigration. In 2021, nearly one-quarter (23%) of the population was composed of individuals who were, or had ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents in Can...