Dietary diversity status and its associated factors among pregnant women in Fedis Woreda of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study
Authors: Mesfin Abyot Mulugeta , Deribo Teshale , Demissie Wondu Reta , Neme Kumera 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
Inadequate dietary diversity is a major concern for pregnant women in Ethiopia, as their diets consist mainly of monotonous foods and lacking nutrient-dense animal source foods, vegetables, and fruits. Therefore, it is essential to study dietary diversity among pregnant women and the factors associated with it, especially in Fedis woreda where there is a high prevalence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies in children, pregnant and lactating women, as well as a high burden of maternal and child morbidity. This study aims to assess the prevalence of dietary diversity among pregnant women and its associated factors in the Fedis woreda, as improving dietary adequacy and increasing the consumption of different food groups is recommended to ensure micronutrient adequacy, address undernutrition in pregnant women, and promote positive birth outcomes.
Materials and methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 15, 2023 to September 30, 2023. A sample of five hundred seventy pregnant women selected through multi-stage sampling methods. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on dietary diversity among pregnant women, specifically focusing on the recall of ten food groups from a list. The collected data were entered and cleaned using EpiData 4.6 version software and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify the factors associated with dietary diversity. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used as measures of association between the dependent and explanatory variables.
Results
The study found that of the total study participants, only 27.2% had adequate dietary diversity, with confidence interval 95%: (23.6%-30.8%) while inadequate dietary diversity is 72.8% (CI: 69.2–76.4). Pregnant women who has no land (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.15-6), pregnant women who did not have market access for food items(AOR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.2–4.8), who did not targeted for PSNP (AOR = 2.8, 95%CI: 1.4–5.4), pregnant women whose mild food insecurity (AOR = 10.9, 95%CI: 5.9–19), Moderate food insecure (AOR = 18.5, 95%CI: 7.2–47) and sever food insecurity (AOR = 17.4, 95%CI: 5.6–54)were statistically significant association with inadequate dietary diversity.
Conclusion
The household dietary diversity was found to be low in the study area. In order to address this issue, it is important to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture by increasing food production. One way to achieve this is by efficiently combining different methods of land use and other farming inputs. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure diverse food production and effective food marketing strategies. Another important aspect to consider is the implementation of resilient and climate-smart agricultural practices, as this can significantly improve the dietary diversity practices of pregnant women.