Dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescents in eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Globally adolescents constitute over 16% but in SSA, they make up 23% of the population. While little is known about diets of these adolescents, rapid changes in physiological and social processes undergone require adequate diets. This study aimed to determine dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescents residing in the Iganga-Mayuge HDSS. Methods: As part of the African Research, Implementation Science, and Education (ARISE) Network, we analysed collected data among 598 adolescents to assess the health status and adolescents' behaviour. Dietary diversity was scored using the 9 food group categories as per the Food and Agriculture Organization-WDDS. Crude and adjusted prevalence rate ratios were estimated using the modified Poisson regression model to identify associated factors. Results: Among the participants, 45.3% had a low dietary diversity score. Proportions of adolescents who consumed from the different food categories over a 24-h period were; cereals/roots/tubers (99.7%), fats & oils (87.0%), spices & beverages (84.1%), sweets (77.1%), legumes (66.2%), other non-vitamin A-rich vegetables (53.8%), dark green leafy vegetables (42.3%), meat/poultry/fish (33.1%), dairy products (32.9%), eggs (11.2%), vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (33.4%) and other fruits (8.2%). Staying with a single parent or guardian, low socioeconomic class, and dependency on home meals was associated with low dietary diversity. Conclusions: Adolescents diets were low in diversity and characterised with low micronutrients source foods, but plenty of fats and oils. Interventions to address contributing factors to the burden ought to target the parenting contexts of the adolescents residing in rural eastern Uganda.

Factors That Determine the Dietary Diversity Score in Rural Households: The Case of the Paute River Basin of Azuay Province, Ecuador

“…For this reason, it is important to support programs providing information about food and its preparation, consumption, and utilization to address food and nutrition challenges within a community [ 9 ]. Similarly, the marital status of the head of the household, namely being divorced, in a consensual union, or separated, has a significant positive effect on the HDDS, and in other studies, similar results have been found [ 45 , 67 ]. The area of cultivated land is an important factor that also contributes to improving the dietary diversity of households, and it is important in terms of food production and food diversity.…”

“…Dietary diversity provides information on household access to a variety of foods [ 67 ], and the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) is intended to reflect a household’s economic ability to access a variety of foods [ 32 ]. In other studies, relationships between the HDDS and the socioeconomic characteristics of the households have been captured, including age, sex, level of education of the head of household, employment status or income, food expenditure, size of agricultural land, training received regarding food preparation and human nutrition, among others [ 9 , 55 , 68 , 69 ].…”

“…In this study, determinants that were not significant with respect to the HDDS included age and sex of the head of household and total per capita expenditures. In a study by Isabirye et al [ 67 ], some variables that were not significant factors in determining dietary diversity included age, education, work status, and household size, among others. Finally, it is important to mention that the results found here in regard to significant and nonsignificant variables are similar to the findings reported by studies of other rural areas [ 9 , 19 , 24 , 67 , 71 , 73 ].…”

Gender, Underweight and Dietary Practices Among Male and Female Adolescents in Pastoral Community, Kenya

“…Overall, 3 food groups were consumed by at least 50% of adolescents in this study namely, starchy staples, milk and milk products and dark green leafy vegetables. Poor consumption of eggs was observed that is similar to ndings among adolescents in Ethiopia and Uganda respectively 16,17 . Despite being a pastoral community, meat was not commonly consumed with adolescents in Samburu cultural value for animals that were not purposively made available for consumption but sold to earn some income and more animals would be held in the herds as a sign of wealth.…”

Dietary Diversity Among Indian Adolescents: Evidence From UDAYA Study

“…According to WHO, 1.2 billion adolescence live in the world which constitute 16% of the total population in the world [1], with over 253 million in India [2]. Adolescence is a period transition from childhood to adulthood , in which they undergo various rapid changes from physical appearances to changes in the food habits [3,4] . During this period, especially in the low and middle income countries childbearing age starts, particularly for women, which is one of the most precarious time wherein optimum nutritional status need to be achieved.…”