Nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity, and household food security among mothers of under-five children in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract Background Maternal and child malnutrition remains a pressing public health issue in Nigeria, particularly in Ebonyi State where food insecurity, poor dietary diversity, and cultural feeding practices persist. This study assessed maternal nutrition knowledge, household food security, and minimum dietary diversity for women in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted, between February and March 2025, among 261 mothers with children under 5 years in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographics, maternal knowledge of child feeding (19-item scale), food security (6-item scale), and minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W), and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. Results The majority (87.7%) of participants demonstrated adequate knowledge of child feeding, though misconceptions around herbal remedies and breastfeeding during pregnancy remained. Food insecurity was highly prevalent, with 68.2% of households classified as severely food insecure. Dietary diversity was suboptimal, with a mean MDD-W score of 4.91, and low consumption of nutrient-dense foods like eggs and dark leafy vegetables. Conclusion Information alone is unlikely to translate into optimal diets where poverty, access constraints, and cultural norms persist. Programmatic responses should pair behavior change communication with food-access, social protection, and gender-responsive strategies.