77% of Indian Children Aged 6-23 Months Lack Dietary Diversity: Study

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd Oct. A recent study has found that approximately 77 percent of children in India aged 6-23 months lack dietary diversity, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The research indicates that the central region of the country shows the highest prevalence of minimum dietary failure.

States such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh report alarming levels of inadequate dietary diversity, with figures exceeding 80 percent. In contrast, Sikkim and Meghalaya are the only states with prevalence rates below 50 percent.

The WHO’s Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) score is a critical tool used to assess the quality of a child’s diet, defining a diverse diet as one that includes five or more food groups, such as breastmilk, eggs, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

The study, which analyzed data from the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-5) conducted from 2019-21, revealed a slight improvement in the country’s overall rate of minimum dietary diversity failure, which has decreased from 87.4 percent based on data from 2005-06 (NFHS-3). However, the researchers caution that the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity failure remains high, still above 75 percent.

The team examined dietary habits across various food groups, noting significant changes over the years. The consumption of eggs rose impressively from around 5 percent in NFHS-3 to over 17 percent in NFHS-5, while legumes and nuts saw an increase from nearly 14 percent to over 17 percent during the same period. Consumption of vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables increased by 7.3 percentage points, with overall fruit and vegetable intake rising by 13 percentage points.

However, a decline in the consumption of breastmilk and dairy products was observed, dropping from 87 percent to 85 percent and from 54 percent to 52 percent, respectively.

The study highlighted that children of illiterate mothers living in rural areas, lacking exposure to mass media, and those who are first-born and have not received counseling and health check-ups from Anganwadi or Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres are more likely to have diets deficient in diversity. Additionally, anaemic children and those with low birth weights were found to be at higher risk for consuming non-diverse diets.

To address the critical issue of inadequate dietary diversity among children, the authors advocate for a comprehensive governmental approach, including an improved public distribution system, enhanced ICDS programs, and the use of social media for nutrition counseling through local self-governance.