Impact of dietary diversity on nutritional status of children between 3-5 years of age in selected pre-schools, Bangalore

Background: Malnutrition is a leading cause of childhood mortality and morbidity often referred to as “silent emergency”. Complex interaction of multiple factors makes young children susceptible to its consequences. Aim: To determine the association between nutritional status and dietary diversity of children between 3-5 years of age. Methods: The study was conducted among 340 children and their caregivers in five Pre-schools in urban Bangalore. A descriptive research design was employed and a non-Probability Convenient sampling technique was utilised. Dietary diversity was assessed using Modified Food and Agricultural organization’s Standard Guidelines for Measuring Household and Individual Dietary Diversity. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic variables. Anthropometric measurements (Height and Weight) were recorded following standard guidelines and was interpreted using WHO standard z-score growth charts. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM SPSS version 20. Results: The results revealed, prevalence of underweight (Weight-for-age) 5.6%, stunting (Height-for-age) 3.2%, and wasting (Weight-for-Height) 13.8%. The current study indicated that 62.9% of children had adequate dietary diversity whereas 37.1% had inadequate dietary diversity. Result also revealed no statistical significance between nutritional status and Dietary diversity as p value was >0.05. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was no association between the dietary diversity and nutritional status of children between 3-5 years of age. Hence, dietary diversity solely doesn’t determine the nutritional status of the children in these age groups, other factors such as child’s age, birth weight, mother’s educational status, mother’s employment status are also to be considered