DIETARY DIVERSITY PRACTICE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN GOG WOREDA, ANYWAA ZONE, GAMBELLA REGION SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA.

Background: Dietary diversity is the number of different food groups consumed over a specified time period. Despite efforts made in Ethiopia, substantive and long-term changes that will result in improved preschool practices have been ineffective. As a result, this study will serve as a baseline for future studies that want to delve deeper into dietary practice of preschool children"s Objective: To asses Dietary practice of preschool children"s and its associated factors in Gog woreda, Gambela Region, south west Ethiopia, 2022. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Gog Woreda Anywaa Zone Gambela Region, Southwest Ethiopia from February 21 - March 21/2022 A total of 406 children were selected by using systematic random sampling technique from four urban kebeles. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the population, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value less than 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Result: A total of 400 study participants were included in the study with response rate of 98%, with the prevalence of Adequate feeding among preschooler was 57%. Based on Multivariable logistic regression analysis; Father occupation (Merchant; AOR=1.23, 95%CI ;(1.02,4.42)), order of child(rich) (AOR=1.26, 95%CI ;(1.02,3.33)),No Home gardening (AOR=0.225,95% CI:( 0.09,0.54), Wealth status (Rich: AOR=6.21 95% CI; (2.262,9.7)),Food security (AOR=6.414,(3.08,11.5)), No postnatal care (PNC) follow up (AOR:0.21:(0.121,0.84) were significantly associated with Dietary practice of Preschool children"s. Conclusion: Inadequate practices of minimum dietary diversity observed in the current study area were mainly associated with father occupation; order of child, no home gardening, wealth status and no postnatal care follow up. Improving the above variables are important intervention to improve dietary diversity practices.