Scholarlink

Introduction <p>Women empowerment is a key strategy to improve maternal and child nutrition. Nigeria, the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa has poor maternal and child health indicators and lacks specific empirical information on the link between women’s empowerment and dietary diversity. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between dietary diversity, women empowerment and socio-economic characteristics across the six geo-political regions in Nigeria.</p> Methods <p>This study used cross-sectional secondary data of women of reproductive age from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Empowerment was assessed through three domains: employment and earnings, based on women’s cash-earning employment in the past 12&#xa0;months; control over household cash earnings, categorized as sole, joint, or no control; and participation in household purchase, measured by sole, joint, or no participation. The Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) was defined as the proportion of women who consumed at least five of the recommended food groups within 24&#xa0;h before the interview. Analyses were cluster adjusted, sample weighted and controlled for selected variables. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of achieving MDD-W across women empowerment and ethnic and socio-economic variables. All analyses were carried out using STATA software (version 17) and the level of statistical significance was set at 5%.</p> Results <p>About half of the women in the study analytical sample were employed and earned income (54%), and had control over cash earning (55.7%) and participation in household purchase (54%). Fifty-four percent of the women met the minimum dietary diversity. This was particularly highest among older women aged 30–49&#xa0;years (60.3%) and richer women (41.3%). Across the geopolitical regions, “employment and earning” was a strong predictor of women’s dietary diversity and was significantly associated in the North-East Nigeria where women were 1.55 times more likely to meet the MDD-W (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.75; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Higher education attainment and increased age of mothers were strong predictors of MDD-W in the South-West Region (OR: 3.44; 95% CI: 2.34, 3.90; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 and OR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.38, 7.53); <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001, respectively), while in the South-South Region, women’s participation on large household purchases was a strong predictor of MDD-W (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.47; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Also, rural residence was a predictor of MDD-W among women in the South-East Region (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.50; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05).</p> Conclusion <p>Regional disparities exist in the predictors of achieving minimum dietary diversity among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Employment and earning are important determinants in the North while education attainment, age, women’s participation on large household purchases and residence are important in the South. It is recommended that interventions be tailored to suit the peculiarities of each region to enhance dietary diversity and nutrition outcomes among women.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Empowerment and Minimum Dietary Diversity among Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月4日

查看全文
  • Oluwaseun Ariyo,
  • Joshua O. Akinyemi,
  • Temitayo Adeyemo,
  • Sunday Oladiran,
  • Oluyemisi Shittu,
  • Oyindamola Oyejobi,
  • Grace Ekundayo,
  • Adetola Otunla,
  • Adeola Adeagbo,
  • Motunrayo Kayode,
  • Victor Adeleye,
  • Victoria Ekundayo,
  • Olufunke A. Fayehun,
  • Folake O. Samuel

摘要

Introduction

Women empowerment is a key strategy to improve maternal and child nutrition. Nigeria, the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa has poor maternal and child health indicators and lacks specific empirical information on the link between women’s empowerment and dietary diversity. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between dietary diversity, women empowerment and socio-economic characteristics across the six geo-political regions in Nigeria.

Methods

This study used cross-sectional secondary data of women of reproductive age from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Empowerment was assessed through three domains: employment and earnings, based on women’s cash-earning employment in the past 12 months; control over household cash earnings, categorized as sole, joint, or no control; and participation in household purchase, measured by sole, joint, or no participation. The Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) was defined as the proportion of women who consumed at least five of the recommended food groups within 24 h before the interview. Analyses were cluster adjusted, sample weighted and controlled for selected variables. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of achieving MDD-W across women empowerment and ethnic and socio-economic variables. All analyses were carried out using STATA software (version 17) and the level of statistical significance was set at 5%.

Results

About half of the women in the study analytical sample were employed and earned income (54%), and had control over cash earning (55.7%) and participation in household purchase (54%). Fifty-four percent of the women met the minimum dietary diversity. This was particularly highest among older women aged 30–49 years (60.3%) and richer women (41.3%). Across the geopolitical regions, “employment and earning” was a strong predictor of women’s dietary diversity and was significantly associated in the North-East Nigeria where women were 1.55 times more likely to meet the MDD-W (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.75; p < 0.001). Higher education attainment and increased age of mothers were strong predictors of MDD-W in the South-West Region (OR: 3.44; 95% CI: 2.34, 3.90; p < 0.001 and OR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.38, 7.53); p < 0.001, respectively), while in the South-South Region, women’s participation on large household purchases was a strong predictor of MDD-W (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.47; p < 0.05). Also, rural residence was a predictor of MDD-W among women in the South-East Region (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.50; p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Regional disparities exist in the predictors of achieving minimum dietary diversity among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Employment and earning are important determinants in the North while education attainment, age, women’s participation on large household purchases and residence are important in the South. It is recommended that interventions be tailored to suit the peculiarities of each region to enhance dietary diversity and nutrition outcomes among women.