Acceptance of nutritional supplements among pregnant and lactating women and children under five years of age.

Objective. The present study explores the acceptance and consumption of nut ritional supplements that form part of a governmental program to support nu tritionally vulnerable groups. Material and Methods. Pregnant and lactating women, and mothers of malnourished toddlers, infants and children were int erviewed. Data were collected, after introduction with an interview guide w ith an open-ended format, through face-to-face interviews conducted at home . Interviews were taped with previous informed consent. Analysis included t opics and subtopics approached by the interviewed women. Results. The studi ed population showed good acceptance to the supplement when offered as a dr ink. When considering benefits, pregnant women thought first of their baby' s health than of their own and associated the possible advantages of the su pplement to its "vitamin" contents. Acceptance of the flavors was largely i nfluenced by previous contact to specific flavors. Children under I year of age preferred the liquid consistency and elderly children favored the pure e. Most mothers considered that the offered amount was enough and there was the general impression that, as the time of the intervention elapsed, chil dren showed greater appetite. The diet was not substituted by the supplemen t. Conclusions. Acceptance of the supplement may be improved by messages fo cusing on the well-being and health of the child and insisting on the benef its for the pregnant mother. Community health providers should be involved in supporting the program, recommending consumption and acceptance of the s upplement. The identification by mothers of "vitamins" as part of the suppl ement may be used to reinforce the concept of beneficial effects associated to micronutrient supplementation. Qualitative evaluations should be perfor med as part of the assessment of community-based programs.