A Comprehensive Analysis of Factors Influencing Minimum Diet Achievement among Rural Women in Morocco

Background: Achieving minimum dietary diversity is essential for food security and well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations such as rural women in Morocco. However, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors influence food consumption patterns, often limiting dietary adequacy. Methods: This study applies machine learning techniques (Cat-Boost with SHAP values) to analyze survey data from rural womenin Morocco. The analysis identifies key predictors of dietary diversity,assessing their relative importance and directional impact.Results: The findings indicate that household earnings, women’s household satisfaction, educational level, and market access positively contribute to dietary diversity, while social problems, excessive household workload, and reliance on self-produced food negatively impact food variety. The results underscore the need for economic empowerment, gender-sensitive policies, and improved rural market infrastructure to enhance dietary diversity. Conclusions: To improve dietary diversity among rural women, policymakers should focus on increasing economic opportunities, reducing social barriers, and addressing time constraints. Strengthening nutrition education, expanding food market access, and promoting women’s economic participation are essential for ensuring sustainable nutritional improvements. Future research should further explore longitudinal dietary trends and the effectiveness of targeted interventions in improving rural women’s dietary adequacy.