Peer-reviewed article
Acceptable diet and dietary diversity across countries in infants aged 6-23 months: a multi-country big data analysis from 1999 to 2021.
Aydin MA, Camli A, Kiyici M, Emrem M, Ulker I et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analyzed global data from 1999 to 2021 on dietary practices in infants aged 6-23 months across different regions and income levels. Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest rates of minimum dietary diversity (21%) and minimum acceptable diet (14%), while Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest rates (48% and 40% respectively). In Sub-Saharan Africa, poor dietary quality persisted across all income levels, whereas Latin America showed better nutritional status regardless of wealth. The findings highlight significant regional disparities in infant nutrition and the limited impact of income in some regions.
Key points
- Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest minimum dietary diversity rates (~21%) and minimum acceptable diet rates (~14%) across all wealth quintiles
- Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest dietary diversity (~48%) and acceptable diet rates (~40%)
- Over half of infants in South Asia (~51% in lowest wealth quintile) and Sub-Saharan Africa (~48%) consumed no vegetables or fruits
- Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest egg and meat consumption (~35% in lowest wealth quintile) compared to Latin America (~69%)
- In Sub-Saharan Africa, nutritional inadequacy persisted across all income levels, indicating that wealth alone does not guarantee dietary adequacy
Limitations
This is a secondary data analysis using WHO statistics without detailed information about data collection methods, sample sizes, or quality of underlying surveys across countries. The analysis cannot explain the causes of regional disparities or identify specific interventions that might improve dietary diversity.
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity, zero vegetable or fruit consumption, egg and/or food consumption and minimum acceptable diet in 6-23 months children by income status in countries and regions worldwide. Method This study is a retrospective secondary data analysis. In our study, the prevalences of minimum dietary diversity, zero vegetable or fruit consumption, egg and/or meat and food consumption and minimum acceptable diet were analyzed. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using Python, and results were visualized using Flourish (a web-based data visualization platform), stratified by WHO and World Bank regional classifications and individual wealth quintiles. In this study, statistics published by the World Health Organization were used as data source. The data were analyzed with Python program and visualized using a web 2.0 tools. Results Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) had the lowest rates of minimum dietary diversity (MDD: ~21%) and minimum acceptable diet (MAD: ~14%) across all wealth quintiles, while Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) had the highest rates (MDD: ~48%; MAD: ~40%). The highest proportions of infants who did not consume any vegetables or fruits were observed in South Asia (~ 51% in the lowest wealth quintile) and SSA (~ 48%), while LAC had the lowest rates (~ 27%). SSA also had the lowest egg and/or meat consumption rates (~ 35% in the lowest wealth quintile), whereas LAC reported the highest (~ 69%). In SSA, nutritional inadequacy was present across all income levels regardless of wealth quintile. In LAC, dietary adequacy was higher than other regions across all income levels. Conclusion In our study, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, undernutrition in infants aged 6-23 months was found at all income levels, while in Latin America & Caribbean, the nutritional status at all income levels was higher than in other regions.