Factors Associated With Minimum Acceptable Diet among Children Aged 6 to 23 Months in Rwanda.

Abstract

Background: Globally, one in two children aged 6 to 23 months fails to meet recommended dietary practices, with 70% fail to meet dietary diversity or meal frequency. This study assessed factors associated with the minimum acceptable diet (MAD) among children aged 6 to 23 months in Rwanda.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from the 2019-2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS), analyzing 1,203 children. Weighted data were analyzed using STATA version 17, employing bivariate and multivariable logistic regression at a 5% significance level.

Results: The prevalence of MAD was 23.9%. Among breastfed children aged 6-8 months, 27.09% achieved the minimum meal frequency (MMF), while only 11.9% of children aged 9-23 months met the MMF. Significant factors associated with MAD included residence in the Eastern Province (AOR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02-2.27), access to nutrition-related information (AOR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.03-2.41), and household wealth, with the richest households showing the highest odds (AOR: 5.93; 95% CI: 3.08-11.42). Delivery in health facilities also increased odds (AOR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.20-9.77).

Conclusion: The low prevalence of MAD highlights the need for promoting dietary diversity and meal frequency, support low-income households to improve child feeding practices.