WHAT INFLUENCES CHILD DIETARY DIVERSITY? EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM SINDA DISTRICT OF EASTERN ZAMBIA

Abstract

It is well documented in various studies carried out in Sub-Saharan Africa that dietary diversity is a major chal- lenge for most households. This is true even in places that are known to produce a wide variety of food. Therefore, the pur- pose of this study was to determine the levels of child dietary diversity and to understand the factors that influence child di- etary diversity. The study empirically established that child dietary diversity in Sinda district of Eastern Zambia was low, with a mean dietary diversity score of 3.6. The factors sig- nificantly influencing child dietary diversity were found to be the mothers’ education, age of child, ownership of livestock and participation in nutrition trainings. It is recommended to invest in strategies that will promote maternal education, di- versification of crops and livestock rearing and the scaling up of nutrition trainings based on a multi-sectoral approach.

Keywords

• dietary diversity
• child
• food security
• eastern Zambia