Effects of Dietary Diversity on Growth Outcomes of Children Aged 6 to 23 Months in India: Evidence from National Family and Health Survey

Abstract

Low dietary diversity significantly interplays with children’s growth failure. However, evidence of its crucial role in children’s health remains inconclusive in developing countries such as India. This study attempts to find the association between dietary diversity and growth outcomes among children aged between 6 and 23 months in India using the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 2015–2016. A total of 67,278 mother-child pairs of children between the ages of 6–23 months and mothers aged 15–49 years were included in this study. Pearson’s chi-square significance test and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the association between dietary diversity and child growth outcomes (stunted, wasted, and underweight). The study found that the prevalence of stunting and severe stunting among children aged between 6 and 23 months were 35.9% and 16.2%; 23.8% and 8.5% represented wasting, and severe wasting; and more than 32%, 10% were underweight and severely underweight respectively. This present study found that having an inadequate minimum dietary diversity (<4 food groups) significantly increases the risk of being stunted (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.21–1.38), wasted (AOR = 1.29; 95% CI; 1.21–1.38), and underweight (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI; 1.39–1.56). Further, it was noted that children who did not intake dairy products, eggs, and other fruits and vegetables were more likely to be stunted, wasted, and underweight and more likely to be severely stunted, wasted, and underweight. Therefore, additional nutrition-specific interventions are urgently needed to strengthen and enhance existing feeding interventions aimed at improving infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, including complementary feeding practices among children aged between 6 and 23 months in India. The Government should focus such interventions more on states or regions where the prevalence of adequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and malnutrition is high.

Effectiveness of Stunting Prevention Programs in Indonesia : A Systematic Review

“…A less diverse dietary pattern indicates poor food quality, leading to suboptimal growth in stunted children due to deficiencies in individual nutrients or a combination of several nutrients. This is consistent with research conducted in India by Saha et al (2023) it is reported that a significantly varied dietary pattern is associated with a decrease in stunting, and the risk of stunting decreases significantly as the number of food groups consumed increases. Therefore, the analysis of food diversity score and minimum dietary diversity (MMD) indicates that children who consume a varied or diverse diet are less likely to experience nutritional deficiencies compared to children with less varied dietary patterns.…”

Effects of nutritional interventions on the physical development of preschool children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In this regard, a diversified diet after the sixth month is crucial as exclusive breastfeeding is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of growing children. Another study also confirmed that insufficient intake of dietary diversity has a direct impact on children’s growth outcomes, manifested as weight loss and underweight, as well as corresponding severe forms ( 36 ). Children who consume sufficient animal derived foods (such as dairy products, meat, and eggs) are least likely to experience developmental delays, weight loss, and underweight.…”

Effectiveness of Food-Based Intervention to Improve the Linear Growth of Children under Five: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…It is also recommended by researchers to readdress and promote and make animal-source proteins available to vulnerable groups and low-income countries. Dietary diversity plays a crucial role to promoting linear growth, where animal-source proteins such as meat, fish, seafood, egg, milk, and dairy products are necessary for ensuring minimum dietary diversity (MDD) [35]. The indispensable amino acid (IAA) bioavailability and possible postprandial plasma IAA concentrations of animal-source proteins are likewise significantly higher than those of plant-source proteins.…”