Optimal Household Water Access Fosters the Attainment of Minimum Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6-23 Months in Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Along with sanitation and hygiene, water is a well-known driver of child undernutrition. However, a more direct role of household (HH) water access in shaping dietary diversity remains unexplored. We assessed the association between HH water access and achievement of minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among young children. We utilized nationally-representative cross-sectional data from the 2015/16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, which included 4727 mother-child dyads, respectively, (26.8 ± 6.8 years, range 15-49 years) and (13.9 ± 4.9 months, range 6-23 months). HH water access was categorized as (1) basic or no access, (2) intermediate, or (3) optimal. MDD was defined as feeding a child, during the previous day, at least four of the food groups defined by the World Health Organization.

SUBMITTER: Chilinda ZB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7827850 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature