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The Influence of dietary diversity on the nutritional status of children between 6 and 23 months of age in Tanzania
Ahmed Gharib Khamis
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1689-8930
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Pediatrics.
Background:Undernutrition poses a serious health challenge in developing countries and Tanzania has the highest undernutrition burden of Eastern and Southern Africa. Poor infant and young child feeding practices have been identified as the main causes for undernutrition. Here we examined to what extent dietary diversity is associated with undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Methods: Using existing data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey of 2015-2016, we carried out secondary data analysis. Stunting, wasting and underweight were calculated based on 2006 WHO standards. A composite dietary diversity score was created by summing the number of food groups eaten the previous day as reported for each child by the mother ranging from 0 to 7. Then, minimum dietary diversity (MDD) of 4 food groups out of seven was used to assess the diversity of the diet given to children. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to assess the crude and adjusted odds ratios of stunting, wasting and being underweight. Results: A total of 2,960 children were enrolled in this study. The majority (74%) of children did not reach the MDD. The most commonly consumed types of foods were grains, roots and tubers (91%), and Vitamin A containing fruits and vegetables (65%). Consumption of a diverse diet was significantly associated with a reduction of stunting, wasting and being underweight in children. The likelihood of being stunted, wasted and underweight was found to decrease as the number of food groups consumed increased. Children who did not receive the MDD had a significantly higher likelihood of being stunted (AOR=1.37, 95% CI; 1.13-1.65) and underweight (AOR=1.49, 95% CI; 1.15-1.92), but this was not the case for wasting. Consumption of animal-source foods has been found to be associated with reduced stunting among children. Conclusion: Consumption of a diverse diet is associated with a reduction in undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Measures to improve the type of complementary foods in order to meet the energy and nutritional demands of children should be considered in Tanzania.
Keywords
Dietary diversity; Complementary feeding; Undernutrition; Pediatric; Infants and young children; Tanzania
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 3
Posted 23 Dec, 2019
Published
On 28 Dec, 2019
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Dec, 2019
Editor assigned
On 19 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 18 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 18 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 18 Dec, 2019
Editor assigned
On 03 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 02 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 02 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 26 Nov, 2019
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 26 Nov, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 22 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 25 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 16 Oct, 2019
Editor invited
On 15 Oct, 2019
First submitted
On 14 Oct, 2019
Metrics
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HTML Views: ...
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Pediatrics. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
The Influence of dietary diversity on the nutritional status of children between 6 and 23 months of age in Tanzania
Ahmed Gharib Khamis
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1689-8930
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 3
Posted 23 Dec, 2019
Published
On 28 Dec, 2019
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Dec, 2019
Editor assigned
On 19 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 18 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 18 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 18 Dec, 2019
Editor assigned
On 03 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 02 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 02 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 26 Nov, 2019
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 26 Nov, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 22 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 08 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 25 Oct, 2019
Editor assigned
On 16 Oct, 2019
Editor invited
On 15 Oct, 2019
First submitted
On 14 Oct, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Pediatrics.
Background:Undernutrition poses a serious health challenge in developing countries and Tanzania has the highest undernutrition burden of Eastern and Southern Africa. Poor infant and young child feeding practices have been identified as the main causes for undernutrition. Here we examined to what extent dietary diversity is associated with undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Methods: Using existing data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey of 2015-2016, we carried out secondary data analysis. Stunting, wasting and underweight were calculated based on 2006 WHO standards. A composite dietary diversity score was created by summing the number of food groups eaten the previous day as reported for each child by the mother ranging from 0 to 7. Then, minimum dietary diversity (MDD) of 4 food groups out of seven was used to assess the diversity of the diet given to children. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to assess the crude and adjusted odds ratios of stunting, wasting and being underweight. Results: A total of 2,960 children were enrolled in this study. The majority (74%) of children did not reach the MDD. The most commonly consumed types of foods were grains, roots and tubers (91%), and Vitamin A containing fruits and vegetables (65%). Consumption of a diverse diet was significantly associated with a reduction of stunting, wasting and being underweight in children. The likelihood of being stunted, wasted and underweight was found to decrease as the number of food groups consumed increased. Children who did not receive the MDD had a significantly higher likelihood of being stunted (AOR=1.37, 95% CI; 1.13-1.65) and underweight (AOR=1.49, 95% CI; 1.15-1.92), but this was not the case for wasting. Consumption of animal-source foods has been found to be associated with reduced stunting among children. Conclusion: Consumption of a diverse diet is associated with a reduction in undernutrition among children of 6 to 23 months in Tanzania. Measures to improve the type of complementary foods in order to meet the energy and nutritional demands of children should be considered in Tanzania.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3