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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
Rural Outreach Program
ISSN: 1684-5358 EISSN: 1684-5358
Vol. 18, No. 1, 2018, pp. 13034-13051
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Bioline Code: nd18014
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2018, pp. 13034-13051
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DETERMINANTS OF INDIVIDUAL DIETARY DIVERSITY SCORE OF CHILDREN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE OF TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA
Hailemariam, T; Girmay, T & Girmay, G
Abstract
Dietary diversity is a measure of food consumption that reflects household access to a
variety of foods and is also a proxy for nutrient adequacy of the diet of individuals.
Dietary diversity is useful because it is correlated with nutrient intake as well as various
anthropometric measures in children. This study was carried out to assess the status of
individual dietary diversity score (IDDS) of children under five years old (6-59 months)
and its determinants in the Southern Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia. A survey of 320
households having children 6-59 months old was conducted using a cross-sectional
descriptive study with both qualitative and quantitative study designs following the FAO
guidelines for the dietary diversity and a semi-structured questionnaire for demographic
and socio-economic factors. Data for the individual dietary diversity (IDDS) indicator
were collected by asking the respondent (mother or caregiver) to recall the foods
provided during the previous 24 hour period. Data analysis was conducted by using
STATA 12 software. The mean IDDS in the study areas was found to be below four,
which is the acceptable minimum level. The traditional diet of children was cereal
dominated and low in micronutrient rich food groups in all the assessed Kebeles1. Being
a model2 farmer, household’s farmland endowment, female headship of the household,
and experience in special meals preparation and participation in nutrition related training
of household members were positively associated with dietary diversity of children in
the study areas.In order to overcome the low IDDS of children in the areas and to improve
their nutritional status through consumption of diverse foods, it is important to make
agricultural production more nutrition sensitive especially on diversification of nutrient
dense agricultural products.
Keywords
Agriculture-Nutrition linkage; dietary diversity; food group; micronutrients; 24-hour recall
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