Abstract
<abstract> Undernourishment, low food quantity and poor dietary quality are common among smallholders in rural communities of Uganda. A cross-sectional study of rural smallholder farming households (n = 174) with children under five in Kiboga district, Uganda used a structured questionnaire to assess household food security status, frequency of household food consumption, and dietary diversity for children. Children's height and weight measurements were taken, and Z-scores calculated as indicators for nutritional status. Household typologies were created using principal component analysis. Households had adequate food supply for 7.6 ± 0.2 months a year; and a total of 35% were food secure. Over 7 days, starchy staples and legumes were consumed by all households; other food groups consumed were dark green leafy vegetables (43%), orange and dark-yellow foods (72%), and animal source foods (53%–60%). Roots, tubers, cooking bananas; vitamin A-rich vegetables, and legumes were sourced mainly from on-farm production, while animal source foods were mainly from the market. 76% of children consumed ≤3 food groups the previous day and 33% were stunted. Four household typologies were generated, 1<sup>st</sup> (29% households) and 2<sup>nd</sup> (23%) had more food secure households, 3<sup>rd</sup> (28%) had mild food insecurity and 4<sup>th</sup> (20%) had severe food insecurity. The 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> typologies had the lowest dietary diversity. In summary, limited diversity of crops grown, low consumption of micronutrient-rich foods, child stunting, and household food insecurity were observed, while own production and markets were the main sources of food. The four household typologies can be used to develop context specific strategies to improve dietary diversity. </abstract>
Highlights
Malnutrition in its various forms continues to be a public health concern worldwide
A cross sectional study was conducted among rural smallholder farming households from Kiboga district in August 2016 to assess household characteristics, dietary diversity, and food security status
Various efforts to contain the disease have been employed and productivity recovery is ongoing [22,23]. It is on this basis that the food security and dietary diversity was assessed as households recover their former main source of livelihood
Summary
Malnutrition in its various forms continues to be a public health concern worldwide. From undernutrition, over-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet-related non-communicable diseases, countries face one or more of these burdens at a time [1,2]. Most people have diets that fall short of a healthy one and are unable to eliminate hunger, be safe, reduce and protect against all forms of malnutrition, promote health, or be produced sustainably [1,3]. The undernourishment, low food quantity, poor dietary quality and diversity scenario is common among rural communities in Africa and Asia, many of whom are smallholder farmers [5,6]. In these cases, dietary diversity has been found to be a good indicator of the dietary quality and households’ access to food [7,8]. Rural households spend more of their income on food compared to their urban counterparts, and though they primarily consume what is produced, it has been noted that they are selling more food for income beyond the traditional cash crops [10,11]
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