An assessment of dietary diversity in six Nigerian states.

Normal 0 false false false EN-ZA X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Normal 0 false false false EN-ZA X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Diet quality (DQ) has been receiving increased attention because of its relationship to diet-related chronic non-communicable diseases. It has been stated that in addition to smoking and inactivity diet is thought to play a major role in chronic disease risk in men and women. One aspect of diet quality is diversity or variety. Diet diversity (DD) or variety has been reported to be associated with nutrient adequacy and nutritional status. It has also been suggested as a means of estimating food security. A diverse range of foods has been shown to increase energy and micronutrients intake in the developing countries. Diversity or variety in Nigeria diets is not known. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was adopted and a semi-structured questionnaire with in-built 24hr diet recall section was the tool for data collection. A 14-food group model was used to evaluate DD. DD was based on the number of food groups consumed in the previous 24hr period. A dietary diversity score (DDS) ranging from 0 to 14 was constructed. A DDS terciles for low, medium and high was also constructed. DD of Nigerian diet was evaluated in six states; the states were selected to represent the three Agro- ecological zones, rural and urban sectors of Nigeria. A thousand four hundred and seventy-two (1472) women with a mean age (SD) of 27.9 (6.2) yrs participated in this study. Majority (97.1%) were married, occupation included traders (21.5%), civil servants (23.9%), artisan (19.1%) and farmers (15.4%). Overall, mean dietary diversity score (DDS) was 5.81 (1.4). This varied from 6.61 in Akwa-Ibom state to 4.98 in Kaduna state . Overall 83% of the participants had average/medium DDS (5-9) while 16.5% had low (1-4) DDS. These varied significantly between the states. Low DDS (1-4) was 25% and 33% in the states in the dry Savanna zone but 12.8% and 10% in the states in moist Savanna zone and 6.4 and 6.2 in humid forest. These differences are significant (p<0.05). In conclusion dietary diversity is poor in Nigeria, worse in the DS than the and better in the HF zone. There is need to further explore diet quality and diversity in Nigeria. Efforts to improve nutritional status must address the issue of dietary diversity.