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Pregnant women in three Kamatakan villages were interviewed to ascertain their nutrition knowledge, attitudes towards child‐birth, weaning, illness, and foods considered prestigious. Over‐all dietary adequacy was assessed using the Food Score Method.
Nutrition knowledge was limited to familiar practices in the actual diet. Attitudes toward complications of pregnancy and illness tended to be fatalistic. Awareness of the importance of maternal nutrition and the harmful effects of insanitary living conditions was evident. Beliefs regarding protecin‐calorie malnutrition in infants were based on superstition. Although attitude towards weaning was non‐traumatic and permissive, prolonged breast feeding without supplementary foods needs to be changed.
Over‐all adequacy of the diet was acceptable in only 32 of the 68 women surveyed. Diets of others were lacking in dairy products and fresh produce, especially green leafy vegetables. A significant relationship existed between nutrition knowledge and dietary adequacy (r = 0.4514 <0.01 level of significance). Information obtained from the survey can be used to formulate nutrition education programmes for betterment of the community.