Dietary diversity and its determinants among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia: evidence from the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey

Dietary diversity in children may be influenced not only by individual circumstances but also by the features of the community in which they live. Our study aimed to assess community and individual-level determinants of minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia. We included 2960 children aged 6-23 months from the recent Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. A minimum dietary diversity was defined as the consumption of at least five food groups out of the eight reference food groups within 24 h by children aged 6-23 months. Multilevel logistic regression was used to investigate the drivers of minimum dietary diversity in Ethiopian children aged 6-23 months. About 12.5 % of children met the bare minimum of dietary diversification. Age of the child (9-11 months AOR, 3.3 (95 % CI 1.8, 5.6), 12-17 months AOR, 4.0 (95 % CI 2.4, 6.7), 18-23 months AOR, 3.5 (95 % CI 2.0, 5.8)), caregiver listening radio at least once a week AOR, 1.6 (95 % CI 1.1, 2.4) and wealth quantiles (Second AOR, 1.8 (95 % CI 1.1, 3.1), Fourth AOR, 2.9 (95 % CI 1.6, 5.2) and Highest AOR, 2.2 (95 % CI 1.1, 4.2)) were individual characteristics associated with dietary diversity. Place of residence was the only community-level characteristic associated with children's dietary diversity (Rural AOR, 0.4 (95 % CI 0.2, 0.6)). The minimum dietary diversity among Ethiopian children is suboptimal. Nutrition programmes aimed at enhancing dietary diversity should be strengthened in this population, particularly for those from poor families and residing in rural areas.