Assessment of dietary diversity score and nutritional status of under-5 children in selected rural areas of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

BackgroundMalnutrition remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, particularly among children under five in rural communities. Dietary diversity is an important determinant of child nutrition, influencing growth and overall health outcomes.ObjectiveThis study assessed the dietary diversity score (DDS) and nutritional status of children under five in selected rural areas of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun State, Nigeria.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 226 randomly sampled children under five and their caregivers from six randomly selected rural communities in the LGA. Socio-demographic characteristics and dietary intake were assessed using structured questionnaires and a 24-hour dietary recall. Anthropometric measurements were taken to assess nutritional status and compared with the WHO growth standards. Data were analysed in SPSS version 25, and associations between dietary diversity and nutritional indicators were examined using chi-square and regression analyses, with significance set at p<0.05.ResultsFindings showed that 69.3% of the children had low dietary diversity, while only 4.6% had high dietary diversity. The most commonly consumed food groups were cereals (92.5%) and vegetables (81.7%), whereas dairy products (21.4%) and eggs (15.9%) were the least consumed. Stunting was observed in 14.2% of children, with 6.8% wasted, and 3.5% underweight. A significant negative association was found between dietary diversity and stunting (p=0.027). Socioeconomic factors, including family income (p=0.008) and maternal education (p=0.021), were significant predictors of dietary diversity.ConclusionThis study highlights poor dietary diversity and its significant association with child nutrition in a select rural area. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve access to and consumption of a variety of nutrient-rich foods. Community nutrition education, economic empowerment programmes, and policies that promote local food production should be prioritised to enhance dietary diversity and reduce childhood malnutrition in Nigeria.