The Influence of dietary diversity on the nutritional status of children between 6 and 23 months of age in Tanzania

Abstract

Background:Undernutrition poses a serious health challenge in developing countries and Tanzania has the highest undernutrition burden of Eastern and Southern Africa. Poor infant and young child feeding practices have been identified as the main causes for undernutrition. Here we examined to what extent dietary diversity is associated with undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Methods: Using existing data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey of 2015-2016, we carried out secondary data analysis. Stunting, wasting and underweight were calculated based on 2006 WHO standards. A composite dietary diversity score was created by summing the number of food groups eaten the previous day as reported for each child by the mother ranging from 0 to 7. Then, minimum dietary diversity (MDD) of 4 food groups out of seven was used to assess the diversity of the diet given to children. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to assess the crude and adjusted odds ratios of stunting, wasting and being underweight. Results: A total of 2,960 children were enrolled in this study. The majority (74%) of children did not reach the MDD. The most commonly consumed types of foods were grains, roots and tubers (91%), and Vitamin A containing fruits and vegetables (65%). Consumption of a diverse diet was significantly associated with a reduction of stunting, wasting and being underweight in children. The likelihood of being stunted, wasted and underweight was found to decrease as the number of food groups consumed increased. Children who did not receive the MDD had a significantly higher likelihood of being stunted (AOR=1.37, 95% CI; 1.13-1.65) and underweight (AOR=1.49, 95% CI; 1.15-1.92), but this was not the case for wasting. Consumption of animal-source foods has been found to be associated with reduced stunting among children. Conclusion: Consumption of a diverse diet is associated with a reduction in undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Measures to improve the type of complementary foods in order to meet the energy and nutritional demands of children should be considered in Tanzania.

The Influence of Factors of Breastfeeding and Food Consumption on Stunting Incidence among Preschool Children in Keerom District, Papua Province, Indonesia

“…Poor child feeding practices have been identified as a significant cause of stunting. Dietary diversity is one of the core indicators when assessing children's feeding practices and nutrition in obtaining nutrients that are essential for growth and development [16]. There were 12 foods important for children under five, namely (1) cereals, (2) spices condiments and beverages, (3) sweets, (4) oil and fats, (5) meat, (6) fruit, (7) vegetables, (8) milk and milk products, (9) tuber and roots, (10) legumes, nuts, and seeds, (11) eggs, (12) fish and other seafood [17].…”