SEARCHCROSS-SECTIONALpublic health, nutrition

cross-sectional·public health, nutrition, epidemiology, obstetrics and gynecology·PMC10420930

Dietary Behaviour and Sociocultural Determinants of Dietary Diversity among Rural Women of Reproductive Age: A Case of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Nutrients · 4 authors, 2 centres

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TL;DR

A cross-sectional study among rural women of reproductive age in Ethiopia's Amhara region found that the majority had inadequate minimum dietary diversity, driven largely by cultural and religious practices including fasting, limited decision-making power, and gender inequality in food consumption.

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240 CHARS

Gender-based discrimination in food consumption, reinforced by Amharic proverbs and sayings, negatively affected dietary diversity of WRA. The study added Amharic proverbs and sayings as a novel determinant to the socioecological framework.

STUDY TYPE

cross-sectional

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public health

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10420930

Dietary Behaviour and Sociocultural Determinants of Dietary Diversity among Rural Women of Reproductive Age: A Case of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Nutrients

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Women of reproductive age have specific nutritional requirements due to pregnancy and lactation. Little is known about the sociocultural determinants of dietary diversity among women of reproductive age. This study assesses trends of dietary behaviour and associated determinants of dietary diversity of women of reproductive age. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Amhara region of Ethiopia in 2019. Using multistage systematic random sampling, the dietary diversity of n = 421 women of reproductive age was assessed by a qualitative 24 h dietary recall. Descriptive analysis revealed characteristics of dietary behaviour and a chi-square test enabled the identification of associated determinants of women’s dietary diversity. Only about a quarter (26.8%) of the women consumed five or more food groups per day and met the minimum dietary diversity score (MDD-W). Drawing on the socioecological framework, at an intrapersonal/individual level, women’s education, age, perception of nutritious diet, and frequency of consumption of animal-sourced foods, vegetables, and fruit were significantly associated with MDD-W. At an interpersonal/household level, the husbands’ education, women’s decision-making regarding food purchase/consumption, the family’s actual eating occasion, and women’s engagement in domestic and farming tasks were significantly associated with MDD-W. At a community level, access to clean water and especially cultural beliefs were significant determinants of MDD-W. Amharic proverbs and sayings prioritise men and pose severe restrictions on women regarding food allocation. The majority (76.7%) of women of reproductive age practise frequent religious fasting, relating to the institutional/national level. This undermines efforts to support healthy dietary behaviour of women of reproductive age. Indepth studies on religious and cultural practices are needed, to assess not only their negative effects on the dietary diversity of women of reproductive age but also on women’s lives. Keywords: dietary behaviour, dietary diversity, women of reproductive age, sociodemographic and sociocultural determinants, Ethiopia

CITATION EXPORT

Simegn Kassa Alamirew, Stefanie Lemke, Barbara Stadlmayr et al.. Dietary Behaviour and Sociocultural Determinants of Dietary Diversity among Rural Women of Reproductive Age: A Case of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Nutrients. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153369

AUTHORS

4 · 2 CENTRES

Simegn Kassa Alamirew, Stefanie Lemke, Barbara Stadlmayr, Bernhard Freyer

1Institute of Development Research (IDR), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; [email protected] (S.L.); [email protected] (B.S.)
2Division of Organic Farming, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; [email protected]