Abstract:
Background – Dietary diversity has long been recognized as a key element of high quality diets.
Poor infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in the first 2 years of age are among major causes of childhood malnutrition, in developing countries including Ethiopia. It results in irreversible outcomes of stunting, poor cognitive development, and significant increase in the risks of many chronic and infectious diseases. There was no study that documented dietary diversity of children in the study area.
Objective - The main objective of this study was to assess minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among children.
Methods – Community based cross sectional study design was used to assess the minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in EnebsieSarMidirWoreda, East Gojjam, North West Ethiopia. A total of 512 Mothers/care givers with children of 6-24 months old in the communitywere included in the study using systematic sampling technique. Data were collected by interviewer administered structured, pre tested questionnaire. A 24 hour recall method was use d to capture the dietary intake of children during the previous 24 hours period before the interview. The data were coded and entered into SPSS for windows version 20 and analyzed after cleaning. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to isolate independent predictors of minimum dietary diversity. All tests were two sided and P<0.05 was used for declaring statistical significance.
Results-The overall prevalence minimum dietary diversity was 18.2% (CI: 14.8, 21.7)). On multivariable logistic regression model, after adjusting for other variables, availability of cow’s milk at household (AOR = 17.27; 95% CI: 6.73, 44.44), cultivating vegetables (AOR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.05, 9.8) and number of animals (AOR = 6.46; 95% CI: 1.97, 21.12) were significantly associated with minimum dietary diversity. The dominant food groups consumed were roots, grains and tubers. While consumption of vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables and other vegetables were relatively low.
Conclusion and Recommendation-The proportion of Infant and young children aged between 6-23months receiving minimum dietary diversity score is low compared with study conducted in Addis Ababa . Availability both animal and plant source foods from households production were positively associated with having the minimum dietary diversity among children implying the need for strengthening nutrition sensitive agricultural practices. Promoting women to cultivate vegetables and fruits and to have cow milk in home are highly recommended to improve infant and young child feeding practice.