DIETARY DIVERSITY IN REPRODUCTIVE AGED WOMEN BY SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN COMBINED MILITARY HOSPITAL, PAKISTAN.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69723/njms.03.03.0406Keywords:
Demographic-socioeconomic Characteristics, Diet Quality Questionnaire, Food Group Diversity Score, Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women, Women of Reproductive AgeAbstract
BACKGROUND: Minimum dietary diversity (MDD-W) is a key indicator of dietary adequacy for 11 micronutrients in women of reproductive age (WRA, aged 15-49). In Pakistan, factors like education, employment, and urbanization can influence dietary patterns and nutritional status. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted interventions to improve diets and health among WRA.
OBJECTIVE: To assess dietary diversity levels among women of reproductive age and analyze the association between sociodemographic characteristics and dietary diversity.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2023 among non-pregnant, nonlactating, ever-married women aged 15-49 years visiting the Outpatient Department of Combined Military Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan (n=810). The Diet Quality Questionnaire was used to calculate MDD-W and Food Group Diversity Score (FGDS). The prevalence of food group consumption, MDD-W (defined as consumption of 5 or more of 10 food groups), and mean FDGS were calculated. Chi-square tests and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze associations and differences in dietary diversity.
RESULTS: 66.3% of WRA achieved MDD-W. The most consumed food groups were starchy staples (99.3%), dairy foods (94.8%), and other vegetables (74.9%). Least consumed were nuts and seeds (12.3%), dark green leafy vegetables (14.4%), and eggs (26.4%). Significant associations were found between MDD-W and locality, education, or husbands' salary (p< 0.05). MDD-W was not significantly associated with age, marital status, or employment (p> 0.05). The mean FGDS ± SD was 5.22 ± 1.65, with significant differences between urban and rural localities (p< 0.05) but not between employed and unemployed women (p> 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Two-thirds of WRA achieved minimum dietary diversity, suggesting better micronutrient intake. Urban and formally uneducated women had more diverse diets, while employment had no significant effect. Targeted interventions are needed to improve diets among WRA.
KEYWORDS: Sociodemographic Characteristics, Diet Quality Questionnaire, Food Group Diversity Score, Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women, Women of Reproductive Age
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