Abstract / Description
BackgroundThe Syrian civil war has caused large-scale displacement, with many Syrian refugee women migrating to Türkiye. Lactation is a critical period requiring adequate nutrition for maternal and infant health. However, data on the nutritional status of lactating Syrian refugee women are limited.AimThis study aimed to assess the nutritional status of lactating Syrian refugee women who migrated to Türkiye due to the Syrian civil war.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between October 5, 2017, and January 29, 2018, with 102 lactating Syrian refugee women with infants aged 0-6 months attending the Istanbul Al Farah Child and Family Support Center. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Inclusion criteria were being a Syrian refugee woman in the lactation period, having an infant aged 0-6 months, and volunteering to participate in the study. Women with chronic illnesses or metabolic disorders were excluded. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the assistance of a translator, using a structured Turkish questionnaire covering demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and 3-day dietary records. Dietary intake was analyzed with the BEBIS9 program and compared to the Türkiye Nutrition Guide recommendations. Although the dietary data were collected in 2017-2018, the analysis was conducted using the most up-to-date national guidelines to reflect current public health priorities.ResultsParticipants (n = 102) had an average age of 27.9 ± 5.7 years, BMI of 27.3 ± 4.6 kg/m², and monthly income of 1267 TL. Their daily energy intake was 1593.7 ± 556.5 kcal/day. A large proportion of participants had inadequate intake of micronutrients, with the highest insufficiency observed for pyridoxine (88.2%), followed by vitamin A (81.4%), vitamin C (76.5%), thiamine (71.5%), riboflavin (63.7%), folic acid (81.4%), vitamin B (72.6%), iron (62.8%), and zinc (68.6%). Women with higher BMI in early lactation consumed more fat (