Mean Dietary Diversity Research Articles

Formulation of a complementary food fortified with broad beans (Vicia faba) in southern Ethiopia

Adequate nutrient intake, especially of protein and micronutrients, enhances growth of children and decreases susceptibility to disease. Major contributing factors to malnutrition among infants and children are low purchasing power of the family resulting in poor quality foods. A cross-sectional and laboratory-based study was conducted at Titecha Kebele in Ethiopia to assess the consumption pattern of broad bean. The work also assessed use of broad bean for complementary feeding of young children, following FAO/WHO/UNU’s recommendation of adding up to a maximum of 40% legumes to cereal-based complementary food for young children. Study participants were mother-child pairs (n=169), and children were between 6-35 months of age. Most families were in poverty with stunting, wasting, and underweight present in 22.5, 4.7, and 8.3% of study children, respectively. Questionnaires gathered information on dietary intakes, and focus group discussions were used to obtain indepth information on the mother’s attitude and knowledge of child feeding, as well as overall consumption of broad beans. The mean dietary diversity score of children was approximately two out of a possible eight, and no child had consumed meat, fish, or vitamin A-containing fruits or vegetables the day before the study. Sixty percent of mothers did not provide bean-based food for their children, with the most frequently reported reason being lack of knowledge of its nutrient value for young children. To a typical complementary food of barley-maize porridge, 10, 20 and 30% of cereal was replaced by processed broad beans (Vicia faba), which increased in protein content, with no meaningful change in phytate content. Sensory evaluation showed that participant children and mothers preferred the taste of the 10% broad bean porridge; however, all added broad bean porridges had similar acceptability to the barley-maize control. Thus, inclusion of processed broad bean can effectively be done to improve nutrient content and nutrient availability of traditional cereal-based complementary foods in the Titecha kebele region of Ethiopia.

Adolescent Girls With Low Dietary Diversity Score Are Predisposed to Iron Deficiency in Southwestern Nigeria

Iron-deficiency anemia is a pervasive public health problem among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary iron intakes of adolescent females using dietary diversity as a proxy in relation to iron status. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select 120 foods and nutrition female students from 6 rural government schools in Ondo West Local Government of Southwestern Nigeria, which was predominantly of Yoruba ethnic group. The students were screened for serum ferritin concentration of less than 12.0 µg/L with normal hemoglobin concentration to determine iron deficiency status. A standardized Food and Agriculture Organization 24-hour diet recall questionnaire was adapted, tested, and used to calculate dietary diversity score. Analyses were done using SPSS version 16. The result indicated that the mean age was 14 ± 1.45 years, 57 (47.5%) adolescent females were iron deficient, and 63 (52.5%) non–iron deficient. Girls in the 16 to 19 years range were significantly more likely to be iron deficient than other groups (odds ratio = 2.81, 95% confidence interval = 1.12-6.54). Mean Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was 2.6 ± 1.058, which showed a significant difference between the 2 groups ( P = .037). Heme iron source ( P = .032) was consumed lesser than the non-heme iron ( P = .002) by iron-deficient girls. Girls with low DDS were at significantly higher risk (odds ratio = 1.79, 95% confidence interval = 0.50-2.17, P = .006) compared with the high and moderate DDS groups. In conclusion, there was a low intake of dietary iron among adolescent girls. Nutrition education should be intensified among female adolescents to improve their nutritional knowledge.

Dietary Diversity is Associated with Nutrient Intakes and Nutritional Status of Children in Ghana

Objective: The study was conducted with the objective of assessing the possible associations between dietary diversity, nutrient intakes and young child nutritional status in Ghana. Material & Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving one hundred mothers with young children between the ages of 6 and 18 months was conducted using a combination of methods. Structured interview using questionnaire, dietary assessment and anthropometry were used to collect the data. Dietary diversity was assessed by using food group count. The WHO (1998) recommended daily nutrient needs from complementary foods for infants receiving average breast milk intakes were used to assess the energy and nutrient content of the diets consumed by the children. The WHO (1983) reference was used to assess child nutritional status. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16 in Windows. Results: About 16% of the study children were underweight whiles 8% were both stunted and wasted. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.6. Significant differences were observed between dietary diversity groupings and energy/nutrient intakes of the children. Generally, as dietary diversity improved, energy and nutrients intakes also in-creased. Again, dietary diversity was significantly associated with weight-for-age, length-for-age and weight-for-length. As dietary diversity increased, child nutritional status also improved. Children who had low dietary diversity exhibited low scores in terms of weight for age, length for age and weight for length. Conclusion: High dietary diversity improves energy and nutrients intakes, and hence dietary adequacy, as well as child growth and nutrition. Key Words: Dietary Diversity; Nutrient Intakes; Child Nutritional Status DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v2i2.4179 Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2 (2011) 105-109

식사기록과 인터뷰를 이용한 일부 저소득층 아동의 식사 구성 및 식행동 조사

This study was conducted to investigate the meal quality and dietary behaviors of low-income family children by qualitative method. The subjects were 12 children(2 boys and 10 girls) aged 7 to 11, enrolled in an after-school care center in Kimpo, Gyeonggi province. Most of their mothers had jobs(83.3%) and 75% were the beneficiaries of a government assistance program. When compared using body mass index(BMI) percentile, 16.7% of the subjects were classified as being overweight. The food intake patterns and meal qualities were evaluated from dietary records for three non-consecutive days. The mean dietary diversity score(DDS) was 3.8, suggesting at least one food group was deficit. Only 8.3% of the records indicated a satisfactory intake of all five food groups, and fruit was the most deficit food group(58.3%). Also, the proportion of balanced of meals was low, especially breakfast(36%), in that main dish(the source of protein) was not included. The children had problematic eating behaviors, such as an unbalanced diet, eating meals in a hurry, skipping breakfast, and irregular meal times. They answered that they liked to eat simple meals and convenient foods. In conclusion, nutrition education should incorporate strategies to reach families and help with meal planning and management, as well as modifying the eating behaviors of children, in order to improve nutritional status.

Consuming cassava as a staple food places children 2-5 years old at risk for inadequate protein intake, an observational study in Kenya and Nigeria

BackgroundInadequate protein intake is known to be deleterious in animals. Using WHO consensus documents for human nutrient requirements, the protein:energy ratio (P:E) of an adequate diet is > 5%. Cassava has a very low protein content. This study tested the hypothesis that Nigerian and Kenyan children consuming cassava as their staple food are at greater risk for inadequate dietary protein intake than those children who consume less cassava.MethodsA 24 hour dietary recall was used to determine the food and nutrient intake of 656 Nigerian and 449 Kenyan children aged 2-5 years residing in areas where cassava is a staple food. Anthropometric measurements were conducted. Diets were scored for diversity using a 12 point score. Pearson's Correlation Coefficients were calculated to relate the fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava with protein intake, P:E, and dietary diversity.ResultsThe fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava was > 25% in 35% of Nigerian children and 89% of Kenyan children. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.0 in Nigerian children and 4.5 in Kenyan children, although the mean number of different foods consumed on the survey day in Nigeria was greater than Kenya, 7.0 compared to 4.6. 13% of Nigerian and 53% of Kenyan children surveyed had inadequate protein intake. The fraction of dietary energy derived from cassava was negatively correlated with protein intake, P:E, and dietary diversity. Height-for age z score was directly associated with protein intake and negatively associated with cassava consumption using regression modeling that controlled for energy and zinc intake.ConclusionsInadequate protein intake was found in the diets of Nigerian and Kenyan children consuming cassava as a staple food. Inadequate dietary protein intake is associated with stunting in this population. Interventions to increase protein intake in this vulnerable population should be the focus of future work.

Complementary feeding practices and dietary intake among children 12-23 months in Mwingi district, Kenya

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 280 children (12-23 months), Mwingi district, Kenya. Complementary foods were introduced at age 2.5 ± 1.7 months and the mean duration of breastfeeding was 10.5 ± 4.1 months. An unfortified maize porridge was the main complementary food. At least 60% of the children in all the dietary diversity terciles consumed starchy staples and oils in the preceding 24 hr. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.9 ± 1.3 and 4.3 ± 1.0 out of a possible score of 14 and 8 as suggested by FAO, respectively. Dietary diversity was limited in animal products. Deficits in dietary energy, iron and zinc were found due to early introduction of complementary foods and low consumption of food rich in iron. Establishing local solutions to increase dietary diversity and promote use of foods rich in iron and proteins to improve available complementary diets are needed.

Effect of food preparation on feeding behavior of lion‐tailed macaques

AbstractTen group‐living lion‐tailed macaques (Macaca silenus), accustomed to receiving fruits and vegetable items of the diet in chopped form, were given these same foods in whole form to compare reactions to the non‐nutritional properties of food. Contrary to common belief, the access of individuals to the different food items was not equalized through chopping into bite‐sized morsels. Mean dietary diversity actually increased with presentation of whole foods, as did time spent feeding and total amount of food consumed. The widespread practice of chopping of food for captive primates has little to commend it in light of these findings.

Dietary Diversity and Its Association with Anemia among Pregnant Women Attending Public Health Facilities in South Ethiopia.

Anemia is a major public health problem among pregnant women in developing countries like Ethiopia. Nutritional deficiency related to anemia is an important contributor to maternal mortality and poor fetal outcomes. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women to assess the prevalence of anemia and its association with dietary diversity in Hossana Town from March 15 to April 30, 2017. Systematic random sampling procedure was employed to select 314 study subjects. Data were collected using an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire supplemented with laboratory tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of anemia. The prevalence of mild to moderate anemia among pregnant women was 56.6% and 40.8% respectively. The mean dietary diversity and food variety score of study participants were 7 and 22 respectively. Maternal education (AOR=10.5; 95% CI:2.2, 27), occupation of spouse (AOR=9.3; 95% CI:1.6, 53), nutrition education (AOR=2.5; 95% CI:1.5, 6.4) and dietary diversity (AOR=18.6; 95% CI: 4.4, 28) were significantly associated with anemia. Anemia was found to be a moderate public health problem in Hossana Town. Therefore, there is a need of nutrition education and promotion awareness on healthy diets to prevent anemia among pregnant women.