F Azupogo|J Chipirah|R Halidu
The association between dietary diversity and anthropometric indices of children aged 24-59 months: A cross-sectional study in northern Ghana
University for Development Studies|Ghana Education Service|University for Development Studies
quality diet shown influence nutritional status children women developing contexts however studies association diet quality nutritional status children aged 2459 months scanty subsaharan africa conclusions studies available inconsistent objective study determine association dietary diversity score dds nutritional status children aged 2459 months tolon district ghana study population included 200 childmother pairs randomly selected 2 large rural communities tolon district ghana single qualitative 24hour recall 24hr semistructured questionnaires used collect childrens data facetoface interviews motherscaregivers anthropometry measures used define wasting whz lt 2sd underweight waz lt 2sd stunting haz lt 2sd summated dds based food agriculture organizations 13 food groupings multiple linear regression models adjusting potential confounding variables including childs age sex birth order sickness mothers age literacy occupation paternal age occupation household size wealth food security fitted analyse association dds nutritional status whz waz haz prevalence rates stunting underweight wasting among sampled children 583 203 42 respectively mean dds 63 12 possible maximum score 13 dietary pattern mostly plant foods little consumption animal source foods significant positive association dds whz 016 p003 adjusting potential confounding variables change observed association association dds waz significantly positive adjusting confounding variables 017 p001 although positive association dds haz statistically significant crude 003 p073 adjusted 010 p029 models high prevalence stunting underweight among children requires urgent attention ministry health development stakeholders findings present study suggest improvement dietary diversity may effective approach improving wasting underweight life phase young children completely reliant family meals sensitization programmes dietary diversification need strengthened childwelfare clinics intervention programmes backyard gardening small ruminant rearing incomegeneration activities may improve access diverse diet keywords dietary diversity wasting stunting underweight weightforheight weightforage heightforage