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

Abstract

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