A new study published in the National Medical Journal of India found that nearly 77 percent of children aged 6 to 23 months in India lack dietary diversity as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The study also revealed that the prevalence of minimal dietary failure was highest in the central region of the country.

The states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh reported the highest levels of inadequate diversity in children’s diets, all above 80 percent, while Sikkim and Meghalaya were the only two states to report prevalence below 50 percent.

WHO suggests using minimal dietary diversity (MDD) score to evaluate the quality of the child’s diet. It is considered diverse if it includes five or more food groups, including breast milk, eggs, legumes and nuts, and fruits and vegetables.

For the study, researchers analyzed National Family and Health Survey data of 2019-21 (NFHS-5), which also includes data from the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare. They found that the country’s overall rate of minimum dietary diversity failure fell from 87.4 per cent, which was calculated using data from 2005-06 (NFHS-3).

However, the authors wrote, “Our study shows that the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity failure remains high (above 75 percent) in India.” The team also looked at the dietary habits of children across different food groups, such as proteins and vitamins, and compared the data for 2019-21 with that of 2005-06.

Egg consumption recorded “impressive” growth, increasing from about 5 per cent in NFHS-3 to more than 17 per cent in NFHS-5, while consumption of legumes and nuts increased from about 14 per cent to 17 per cent during 2005-06. Exceeded the percentage. During 2019-21.

“Consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A increased by 7.3 percentage points, while consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A increased by 13 percentage points over the same time period,” the authors wrote in the study. For meat foods, consumption increased by 4 percentage points.

However, consumption of breast milk and dairy products declined from 87 percent in NFHS-3 to 85 percent in NFHS-5 and from 54 percent to 52 percent.

The authors also found that children of mothers who were illiterate and lived in rural areas, had no exposure to mass media, who were born earlier and who did not receive counseling and health check-ups at Anganwadi or Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centers were more likely to have children. Consuming a diet lacking variety. Children with anemia and low birth weight were found to be more likely to consume a non-diverse diet.

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