Association Between Dietary Diversity and Dietary Patterns in CHildren (6-59 Months) in Lombok Tengah

Background: Inadequate intake among children under five years has both long term and immediate negative health impact, and lifelong consequences including increased risk of disease, poor cognitive development, lower school performance and increased risk of death in childhood, reduce productivity. This study evaluated household dietary diversity (HDD) as a determinant of nutritional status of children. Method: An analytical cross-sectional study involving 359 mothers-child pairs aged 6-59 month was conducted in Lombok Tengah. Socio demographic, dietary and anthropometric data were collected in face-to-face interviews. HDD scores were calculated using data from 24-h dietary recall among children. Anthropometric indices (stunting, wasting and underweight) were defined as anthropometric z-scores < - 2 standard deviations using WHO growth standards. Result: We evaluated dietary diversity using 10-food-group-based child/individual dietary diversity (IDDS) and found a mean (SD) IDDS of 4.3 (1.7). The prevalence rates of stunting, wasting and underweight in the children were 30.9%, 9.0 %, 20.2% respectively, while 32.1% of the household had less dietary diversity. The most diverse pattern 58.3% had high consumption of grains, eggs, vegetables and fish. Diverse pattern less than 20% consumption of meat, poultry and dairy milk. Dietary patterns that were associated with energy intake and gender and we found that males were more likely to have a less diverse dietary pattern than females. Conclusion: High prevalence of stunting in children and many households consumed less diverse diet in Lombok Tengah. Despite variation for some children, dietary diversity was relatively low for children. Intervention and supporting the need to improve child growth and overall diet of children in Lombok Tengah