Mother and children dietary diversity in rural Africa: results from Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Diet quality is a crucial determinant of maternal and child nutrition, yet significant regional disparities exist across Africa. This study examines dietary diversity among women and children in North and East Africa, focusing on key indicators such as Food Group Scores (FGS), All 5, and Global Dietary Recommendations (GDR) scores. Using data from five African countries, the study highlights variations in diet quality, food security, and socio-economic influences between the two regions.Findings indicate that North African countries, particularly Tunisia, demonstrate higher dietary diversity than East African counterparts, with Tunisia achieving a Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) rate of 79%, compared to Tanzania’s 33%. However, North African diets also show higher consumption of unhealthy foods, increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Maternal education emerged as a significant predictor of diet quality, with higher educational attainment correlating positively with improved dietary diversity in all countries except Tanzania. Additionally, women’s empowerment, particularly in economic decision-making, was strongly associated with higher diet diversity in East Africa, whereas in North Africa, decision-making influence was more pronounced in household health and child education.Food security was a key determinant of diet quality, with food-secure households in Tunisia being 60 times more likely to meet MDD-W than food-insecure ones. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, including enhancing maternal education, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and addressing food security challenges. Policy efforts should consider regional dietary transitions and socio-cultural factors to effectively improve maternal and child nutrition across diverse African contexts.