The updated DHS-8 includes questions to calculate dietary diversity indicators, such as the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) for children, and minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). The user may use DHS data that is available for download and analysis upon request. Users may also use DHS STAT Compiler to calculate specific indicators.
Time: Findings are available for use in DHS reports. Downloading, cleaning, and analyzing data could take a few weeks, depending on data quality and complexity of the analyses.
Human Resources: Requires some familiarity with nutrition. Those conducting data analysis need expertise in nutrition, data cleaning and analysis.
Relative Cost: Low
Strengths: Easy access to reports and data. DHS routinely collects the data about every 5 years.
Limitations: MDD is a rough estimate of micronutrient adequacy. Sample sizes may not allow for sub-national analysis. The MDD-W indicator does not capture any foods associated with diet-related chronic illness, only micronutrient adequacy and healthy foods.
Indicators
We found relevant indicators for 7 diet question(s) based on the filters below (or your answers to preceding questions). Use the filters to see other indicators by target group or diet question.
Target group: Children 6–23 months of age
Is my target group consuming foods or food groups that provide adequate nutrients?
- MDD for children: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed foods and beverages from at least five out of eight defined food groups during the previous day.
What foods or food groups is my target group consuming?
- MDD for children: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed foods and beverages from at least five out of eight defined food groups during the previous day.
- Food consumption—flesh foods: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed egg and/or flesh food during the previous day.
- Sweet beverage consumption: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed a sweet beverage during the previous day.
- Unhealthy food consumption—World Health Organization and UNICEF infant and young child feeding: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed selected sentinel unhealthy foods during the previous day.
- Zero vegetable or fruit consumption: Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who did not consume any vegetables or fruits during the previous day.
- The percentage of the population consuming any of the food groups measured by the instrument can also be determined.
Target group: Women: 15–49 years of age (non-pregnant, non-lactating)
What foods or food groups is my target group consuming?
- MDD-W: Percentage of women aged 15–49 years who consumed foods and beverages from at least (≥) five food groups during the previous day. MDD-W was added to the DHS core questionnaire beginning with the DHS-8; therefore, trend data may not be available.
- The percentage of women aged 15–49 years consuming any of the food groups measured by the instrument can also be determined.
Is my target group consuming foods or food groups that provide adequate nutrients?
- MDD-W: Percentage of women aged 15-49 years who consumed foods and beverages from at least (≥) five food groups during the previous day. MDD-W was added to the DHS core questionnaire beginning with the DHS-8; therefore, trend data may not be available.
Target group: Pregnant women: 15–49 years of age
What foods or food groups is my target group consuming?
- Percentage of pregnant women aged 15–49 years consuming any of the food groups measured by the instrument.
Target group: Lactating women: 15–49 years of age
Is my target group consuming foods or food groups that provide adequate nutrients?
- MDD-W: Percentage of women aged 15–49 years who consumed foods and beverages from at least (≥) five food groups during the previous day. MDD-W was added to the DHS core questionnaire beginning with the DHS-8; therefore, trend data may not be available.
What foods or food groups is my target group consuming?
- MDD-W: Percentage of women aged 15–49 years who consumed foods and beverages from at least (≥) five food groups during the previous day. MDD-W was added to the DHS core questionnaire beginning with the DHS-8; therefore, trend data may not be available.
- Percentage of lactating women 15–49 years consuming any of the food groups measured by the instrument.
