Relationship between Diet Quality with Serum Ferritin Levels in First and Second Trimesters of Pregnant Women in Padang City

Rizka Yulia Sary (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia)
Helmizar Helmizar (Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia)
Andani Eka Putra (Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia)

Jurnal Media Gizi Indonesia (MGI)
Vol. 21 No. 4 (2026): MEDIA GIZI INDONESIA

Anemia in pregnancy is a public health challenge, especially in developing countries such as Indonesia. Although several studies in Indonesia have evaluated dietary quality among pregnant women, most have focused on individual nutrient intake rather than on composite dietary quality indices. However, there is limited evidence on the relationship between a modified Healthy Eating Index adapted to Indonesian dietary guidelines and serum ferritin. This study aimed to examine the relationship between diet quality, evaluated using a modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and serum ferritin levels in pregnant women in Padang. This study used a cross-sectional observational study involved 80 pregnant women in Padang. Sociodemographic details and diet quality were obtained using a validated questionnaire. Serum ferritin levels were measured by collecting blood samples from respondents. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 with Pearson's correlation. The results showed a significant positive correlation between diet quality and serum ferritin levels (r = 0.485, p =0.000). The average total HEI score was 66.16 ± 14.44, indicating that the average diet quality of the respondents was moderate to good. Improved diet quality, as measured by the modified Indonesian HEI, was positively associated with higher iron status among pregnant women in Padang.