Determinants of dietary diversity among households in central river region South, the Gambia

Abstract

Adequate dietary diversity of households in the rural areas of The Gambia remains a great public health concern. As diets of most households in the rural areas mainly composed of cereal-based grains foods with few animal food products (meat), vegetables and fresh fruits. Household dietary diversity and its determinants in the Central River Region South was not widely studied. This current study intended to determine the household dietary diversity status and its determinants in the study area. A cross-sectional study was conducted among households using dietary diversity questionnaire to assess the household's dietary diversity status, with 24 hours dietary recall period. A total of 334 households with women responsible for preparing meals for the households were selected through a multistage sampling method. SPSS Version 24 was used to analyse the data. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the predictor factors of dietary diversity status of households. Mean dietary diversity score was 4.3 (SD2.28). Overall, 60.2%, 25.4% and 14.4% of households were low, medium and high dietary diversified respectively. Result revealed that household income ≤1387.50 Gambian Dalasis (1 USD = GMD 49) (AOR = 4.57, 95 % CI:1.05,6.83, P = 0.043), without home gardening (AOR = 1.43, 95 % CI: 0.72, 2.88, P = 0.031), farmland (AOR = 2.18, 95 % CI:1.68, 5.11, P = 0.013), women without education (AOR = 1.67, 95 % CI:0.53, 5.22, P = 0.005) and spouses without employment (AOR = 2.20, 95 % CI:1.17, 5.35, P = 0.018) were the predicted risk factors for household dietary diversity status. Household dietary diversity was low in the study area. Monthly income, home gardening, spouses' employment status, ownership of farmland and women's educational status were significantly associated with low dietary diversity. Major interventions that can improve household dietary diversity should be implemented in the study area.