MINIMUM DIETARY DIVERSITY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG LACTATING MOTHERS OF CHILDREN 6-23 MONTHS IN ATAYE DISTRICT, NORTH SHOA ZONE, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Appropriate maternal nutrition intervention like dietary diversity is a pivotal public health issue in low-income countries throughout the globe. Low dietary diversity has become a major public health problem among poor populations regarding low-quality monotonous diets which can result in undernutrition mainly micronutrients deficiencies among lactating mothers. However, there is limited evidence on minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers in resource poor settings including the study area. Objective: To assess the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity and associated factors among lactating mothers of children 6-23 months in Ataye District, North Shoa Zone, Central Ethiopia, 2018. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was used among 652 lactating mothers 15-49 years in selected kebeles of Ataye District from February 01-28, 2018. The dietary diversity was measured by minimum dietary diversity for women indicator using 24 hours dietary recall method. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were entered on to EpiData version 4.2.0.0 and exported to statistical package for social science version 24 for analysis. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used for the predictors of minimum dietary diversity using the multivariable logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of minimum dietary diversity among lactating mother was 48.8%, (95% CI: (44.7, 52.9). Formal education [(AOR=2.16, 95% CL: (1.14, 4.09)], final say on household purchase [(AOR=5.39, 95% CI: (2.34, 12.42)], home gardening practice [ (AOR=2.67, 95% CI: (1.49, 4.81)], history of illness [(AOR=0.47, 95% CI: (0.26, 0.85), good knowledge of nutrition [(AOR=5.11, 95% CI: (2.68, 9.78)], food secure households [(AOR=2.96, 95% CI: (1.45, 6.07)] and medium [(AOR=5.94, 95% CI: (2.82, 12.87)] and rich wealth indices [(AOR= 3.55, 95% CI: (1.76, 7.13)] were significantly associated with the minimum dietary diversity of mothers. Conclusion: The prevalence of minimum dietary diversity among lactating mothers was low in the study area. However, it was more common among mothers attending formal education, having final say on household purchase, having home garden, having good knowledge of nutrition, having history of illness, food secure households and belongs to medium and rich household wealth indices. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the mother’s decision making autonomy, nutrition knowledge, household food security and wealth status to increase maternal dietary diversity