Dietary Diversity is a Predictor of Acute Malnutrition in Rural but Not in Urban Settings: Evidence from Ghana
Journal Title: Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research - Year 2014, Vol 4, Issue 25
Abstract
Aims: To document the relationships between child dietary diversity and acute malnutrition (wasting) in urban and rural Ghana, controlling for maternal, child and household socio-demographic characteristics. Study Design: Cross sectional survey Place and Duration of Study: Urban and rural Ghana, between September and November 2008. Methodology: The analysis uses data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Data on children aged 6-36 months (n = 1,187) and their mothers who provided reports of child food consumption were analysed. The mother reported the child’s consumption of 16 food types/groups in the 24 hours prior to the survey. A value of 1 was assigned for each food group consumed, and these were summed to create the dietary diversity score (DDS). Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between DDS and childhood wasting. Results: Among rural children, but not urban children, higher DDS was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of wasting after controlling for child, maternal, and household characteristics. A one-point increase in DDS was associated with an 11% reduced odds of being wasted (OR = 0.89, 95%, C.I. 0.80 - 0.99). There was also an interaction effect with a higher likelihood of wasting predicted by lower DDS when maternal BMI was low. Conclusion: Dietary diversity has a modest but statistically significant association with acute malnutrition in rural but not in urban Ghana. Interventions to combat acute malnutrition in rural settings should include efforts to promote the consumption of a variety of food groups.
Authors and Affiliations
Dickson A. Amugsi, Maurice B. Mittelmark, Anna Lartey
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP349120
- DOI 10.9734/BJMMR/2014/10014
- Views 45
- Downloads 0
Alzheimer Disease and Environmental Exposure to Neurotoxic Factors: A Controversy
Background: Common neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease are a major public health issue because of their high prevalence and etiopathogenic complexity. Ageing, combined with a genetic predisposition and...
Acute Psychosis Following Hydrocortisone Replacement in a Patient with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency Due to Recurrent Postoperative Pituitary Macroadenoma
Acute psychosis in patients receiving physiological corticosteroid replacement is rare. The exact mechanism of this disorder is not clear. We report a case of a 50 year old female with recurrent post operative pituitary...
Cytotoxicity Property of Biologically Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles from Aqueous Leaf Extract of Calotropis procera (Apple of Sodom) on MCF-7 Cell Line
The use of gold nanoparticle in drug delivery has emerged as a promising avenue to reduced toxicity and frequency of dosage while maintaining therapeutic effects and biocompatibility. Therefore, the possibility of develo...
Activity of Autonomic Nervous System, Energy Expenditure and Assessment of Oxidative Stress in Menopause-women Using Hormone Replacement Therapy
Aims: Menopause is a period of significant physiological change that may be associated with increased body weight and obesity-related diseases. Many studies have been carried out to determine influences of estrogen deple...
Chromogranin-A Levels and Refractory Bronchospasm in Interstitial Lung Disease: A Preliminary Report on the Favourable Response to Octreotide
Aims: A wide variety of lung pathologies are associated with pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (PNECH). Presentation of Case: We report two patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), severe persistent bronch...