Children Feeding Practices and Household Dietary Diversity in Adea, Girar Jarso, and Sebeta Hawas Districts, Oromia, Ethiopia

Background: Malnutrition among children in Ethiopia remains a serious public health concern, with feeding practices frequently falling below international standards. Diets are often cereal-based with low inclusion of animal-source foods, resulting in poor dietary diversity. This study assessed child feeding practices and household dietary diversity in three districts of Oromia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 332 caregivers of children aged 6–59 months. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall. Nutrient intake was analyzed using the Ethiopian Food Composition Tables and SPSS v25. Dietary diversity was evaluated using WHO and FAO criteria, and nutrient adequacy was determined using Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR) and Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR). Results: Early initiation of breastfeeding was 59%, while exclusive breastfeeding at six months was 63%. Timely introduction of complementary feeding was only 39%, and continued breastfeeding at two years was 64.5%. Just 43% of children consumed at least four food groups, with 37% falling into the low dietary diversity category. The MAR was 82%, with inadequate intakes of calcium, fat, and vitamin C, while protein, carbohydrate, iron, and energy were sufficient. At the household level, 51% consumed from four food groups, but only 10% consumed more than six. Cereals dominated diets (>90%), while meat (12.7%), eggs (5.7%), and fruits (25%) were seldom consumed. Conclusion: Suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices and low dietary diversity persist in the study areas. Strategies are needed to strengthen optimal breastfeeding, promote nutrition education, and diversify diets through improved livestock production, horticulture, and small-scale irrigation.