Factors Affecting Women’s Dietary Diversity in Cumilla District of Bangladesh: A Community-based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Dietary diversity indicates diet quality and can be linked to health and nutritional outcomes. Minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) is a proxy indicator for food security and micronutrients in diets of women aged ۱۵-۴۹. This study assessed dietary diversity and its determinants among semi-urban Bangladeshi women of reproductive age in Cumilla District.Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, ۳۹۱ households (۳۷۲ estimated sample size) were randomly enrolled. A semi-structured questionnaire collected demographic, socioeconomic, and dietary data. Within each household, a married woman (۱۵-۴۹ years) provided the data on nutrition knowledge and dietary practices. Dietary quality was assessed using the minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W).Results: The average MDD-W score was ۵.۲±۱.۹. About ۵۶.۵% of women fulfilled adequate MDD-W. Regression analysis showed that the monthly household income and having knowledge about a balanced diet were the determinants of MDD-W. Women in households that had a monthly income of BDT ۱۰,۰۰۰ to ۲۰,۰۰۰ were ۷۵% less likely (aOR ۰⋅۲۵, CI ۰⋅۱۱, ۰⋅۶۱) to meet the MDD-W than the households that had a monthly income more than BDT ۳۰,۰۰۰, while women who had knowledge about a balanced diet were ۱.۵۷ times more likely (aOR ۱.۵۷, CI ۱.۰۲, ۲.۴۴) of achieving the MDD-W than who had no knowledge about a balanced diet.Conclusion: It was shown that having knowledge about a balanced diet and higher household income increases the MDD-W.

Keywords:

Dietary diversity , women , Nutrition , Food security , Bangladesh