Premium
Household dietary diversity and low hunger score positively predict child dietary diversity and Fe rich food consumption but not feeding frequency in indigenous rural Guatemalan children
Author(s) -
Leroy Jef L,
Olney Deanna,
Richter Susan,
Ruel Marie
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.592.11
Subject(s) - dietary diversity , indigenous , meal , food frequency questionnaire , diversity (politics) , longitudinal study , demography , consumption (sociology) , environmental health , food group , medicine , biology , food science , food security , agriculture , ecology , social science , sociology , anthropology , pathology
Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices have been positively associated with nutritional outcomes in children, but the determinants of these practices are less known. Linear regression was used to examine the determinants of minimum dietary diversity (DD), minimum meal frequency (FREQ), consumption of iron‐rich foods (FeRICH) and a minimum acceptable diet (ACC) using WHO indicators among 550 Guatemalan children 6 to 24 mo of age living in poor rural indigenous communities. We assessed the importance of mothers understanding Spanish, household (HH) wealth, HH DD and HH hunger and controlled for child age and sex. The prevalence of stunting was high (45%) and IYCF practices suboptimal (optimal DD=61%, FREQ=73%, FeRICH=52%, ACC=46%). A lower HH hunger score and higher HH DD significantly and positively predicted DD, FeRICH and ACC. HH DD and women's understanding of Spanish were negatively associated with FREQ. Our qualitative research suggests that this might be explained by children in low DD HH being fed thin (i.e. low nutrient‐dense) soups, which in turn may result in children demanding more frequent feedings. These relationships and their implications for children's nutritional status will be examined further in a longitudinal study. Support: USAID, through FANTA‐2/AED