In rural Gedeo Zone, southern Ethiopia, food insecurity and poor dietary diversity remain major challenges for maternal and child health. A study surveyed 422 randomly selected households to assess food security and maternal dietary diversity. The findings revealed that only 27.9% of households were food secure, while 65.5% of mothers had adequate dietary diversity.
The study showed that households facing moderate or severe food insecurity were more likely to have mothers with inadequate dietary diversity. Conversely, mothers from wealthier households and those with some education had higher chances of consuming a diverse diet.
Household size also played a significant role in food security. Families with five to seven members were 78% less likely to experience food insecurity compared to smaller households with one to four members. Similarly, households with eight to twelve members were 76% less likely to be food insecure.
Moreover, households where women had high dietary diversity were 83% less likely to suffer from food insecurity than those with low dietary diversity.
Key factors influencing maternal dietary diversity included household wealth, maternal education, food security status, and whether the mother was pregnant. Family size and dietary diversity also affected overall household food security.
The study suggests that improving maternal education, empowering women economically, and ensuring household food security are essential steps to enhance dietary diversity among mothers in rural Ethiopia.
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