DIETARY DIVERSITY AMONG PEOPLE 40 YEARS AND ABOVE IN JIMMA TOWN, SOUTHWEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Non-diversified diet can have negative consequences on individuals' health and well being, as this kind of diet is not likely to meet micronutrient requirements and is low in quality. Assessment of dietary quality is very important in older age groups to recommend appropriate dietary interventions to prevent occurrence of chronic degenerative diseases. This study ,aimed to assess dietary quality and associated socio-demographic factors among adults 40 years and above in Jimma Town.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out om December 1-30, 2006. A total of 526 subjects were selected from the three "Kefitegnas" of Jimma town using stratified cluster sampling technique employing proportional to size allocation to the kebeles. Data were collected using interviewer administered structured Amharic version questionnaire. Dietary quality was assessed by asking the consumption of the major food groups (cereals-legumes, fruits, vegetables and animal source foods) over the reference period of one month prior to the survey and calculating dietary diversity score as a composite variable constituted by the four food groups. The data were entered in to a computer and analyzed using SPSS for windows version 12.0.1.

RESULTS: Overall, 209 (39.7%) have non-diversified diet and 99 (18.8%) did not have animal source foods in their diet during the last one-month before the survey. Out of those who consumed non diversified diet, 50(9.5%) had only one food group while 159 (32.2%) had two food groups. Only 99 (18.8%) consumed all the four food groups during the last one month before the survey. Study participants in the households with higher income and those who were more educated consumed a diversified diet. Animal source food intake was significantly associated with being male, being merchant, being member of household with higher income and having higher educational status (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Large proportions of the study community had low quality diet implying the fact that they are nutritionally insecure and are at risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies and other chronic diet related diseases. Gender, income, educational status and occupation were associated with low quality diet consumption. Gender seem to play a great role in the consumption of animal source foods as significantly less number of females had animal source foods in their diet compared to males.

Food security interventions focusing on enhancing the income and purchasing power of the households, nutrition behavior change communication on the importance of having diversified diet, creating better access of females to animal source foods and enhancement of interventions that address improvement of the overall educational status of the community are recommended to improve the quality of diet among adults in Jimma town.