Objectives
To assess the Dietary Diversity and Nutrient Intake Adequacy among Adult Women.
Methods
Apparently healthy adult women (n=250) were the respondents in this study. The anthropometric measurement of the respondents was taken using standard equipment. A 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire was used to assess the food intake . Dietary diversity score (DDS) was created using a 15-food group model. Nutrient intake was evaluated using Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR). Mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was calculated and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data.
Results
About 56.4% of the respondents had normal body weight, 15.2% were underweight, 21.2% were overweight and 7.2% were obese. The diet of the respondents majorly consisted of food items from food groups such as cereals, white roots and tubers, vitamin A-rich vegetables, spices, condiments and beverages and foods from milk and milk products and fruits groups were least consumed. The mean DDS was 8.29±1.3. About 4.4% of the respondents had high DDS, 94.4 had minimum DDS and 1.2% had low DDS. The MAR was 2.56±0.69, the intake of some nutrients such as carbohydrate, fat, iron, zinc and protein was above the RDA and there was inadequate intake some nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C and potassium among the respondents. Consumption of foods from food groups such as meat and meat products, eggs and poultry and fish were found to be significantly related to nutrient intake adequacy.
Conclusions
There is double burden of malnutrition among the respondents. About 55% of the respondents had diverse diet. About 69% of the respondents had adequate nutrient intake.
