Dietary Diversity and Its Associations with Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age in Rural Odisha, India. Issue 3 (4th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jin, Yichen; Talegawkar, Sameera A.; Sedlander, Erica; DiPietro, Loretta; Parida, Manoj; Ganjoo, Rohini; Aluc, Aika; Rimal, Rajiv
• Is Part Of: Ecology of food and nutrition. Volume 61:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 304
• Page End: 318
• Publication Date: 2022-05-04
• Subjects: Anemia -- diet diversity -- non-pregnant women of reproductive age -- India; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Food -- Periodicals; 641
• DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2021.1987230
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0367-0244

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to examine diet diversity, predictors associated with it, and its associations with anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in rural India. Baseline data from the Reductions in Anemia through Normative Innovations (RANI) project were used and included 980 non-pregnant women aged 15–49 years from Odisha, India. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) was used to assess diet diversity. Anemia was determined by hemoglobin level and categorized as normal (hemoglobin ≥ 12 g/dL), mild (11 ≤ hemoglobin <12 g/dL) and moderate/severe (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with diet diversity, and multinomial logistic regression for associations between diet diversity and anemia. Forty-four percent of women were classified as having a diverse diet (MDD-W ≥5). Women with higher education level, belonging to a scheduled caste (vs. tribe), and higher body mass index had higher odds of a diversified diet ( p < .05 for all). A more diverse diet was associated with 30% of lower odds of mild anemia (odds ratio = 0.7, 95% confidence interval: 0.5–0.98, p = .035), however, no statistically significant associations were found for moderate/severe anemia. Diet diversity was inversely associated with prevalence of mild anemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in rural India.