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Change in Socioeconomic Inequality in Minimum Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6–23 Months in India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey

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Abstract

The World Health Organization considered minimum dietary diversity (MDD) as one of the eight core indicators as a part of feeding practices among children aged 6–23 months. However, there is limited evidence on examining the change in socioeconomic status (SES) related inequality for MDD. Therefore, the present study aims to estimate the extent of SES-related inequality concentration for minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months. Additionally, factors that contributed to SES-related inequality were estimated in the present study. Data was utilized from the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2005–06 (NFHS-III) and 2015–16 (NFHS-IV). The effective sample size for this study was 14,422 children for NFHS- III and 74,132 children for NFHS- IV. The outcome variable was minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months. The explanatory variables were divided into three categories: 1. Mother's characteristics 2. Child characteristics, 3. Household characteristics. Descriptive statistics along with binary logistic regression analyses were used to fulfill the study objectives. Additionally, the concentration index was used to measure the extent of inequality that exists in MDD among children. Moreover, decomposition analysis was also used to estimate the factors which contributed to the socioeconomic status-related inequality for MDD among children aged 6–23 months. Overall, the MDD among children aged 6–23 months was 14.2% in 2005–06 which is increased to 20.4% in 2015–16, and it is found lower among children from poor socioeconomic status. The odds for children who received MDD was higher among children from the richest wealth quintile [2005–06 (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.54; CI: 2.02,3.18)] and [2015–16 (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.34; CI:1.23,1.47)]. The value of the concentration index decreased from 0.248 in 2005–06 to 0.116 in 2015–16. Mother's educational status contributed about 43.8% in SES-related inequality for MDD in 2005–06 which decreased to 35.5% in 2015–16. Additionally, the wealth index contributed nearly 48.8% in SES-related inequality for MDD in 2005–06 which decreased to 29.9% in 2015–16. Between these two periods, the inequality among poor and non-poor children aged 6–23 months in MDD and factors contributing to MDD has decreased. More community-driven and cost-effective social interventions are needed to meet the MDD intake goal for all children aged between 6–23 months. This implies that the mother's education level alone is not sufficient for MDD among children. Instead, exposure to information may be important given the current nutritional transition in India. The emphasis should be on rigorous awareness and social interventions designed to improve minimum diversified​​ dietary intake among Indian children.​

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Availability of Data and Materials

The study utilises a secondary source of data that is freely available in the public domain through http://iipsindia.org.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PG Department of Statistics, Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Odisha, 751004, India

    Abhipsa Tripathy

  2. Bruyere Research Institute, 85 Primrose Avenue E., Ottawa, ON, K1R7G5, USA

    Divya Kanwar Bhati

  3. Department of Survey Research & Data Analytics, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400088, India

    Shobhit Srivastava

  4. Population Research Centre, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru, 560072, Karnataka, India

    Prem Shankar Mishra

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Contributions

The concept was drafted by AT, PSM and SS; AT, PSM & SS contributed to the analysis design, AT, PSM, SS & DKB advised on the paper and assisted in paper conceptualization. All authors contributed in the comprehensive writing of the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Prem Shankar Mishra.

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The data is freely available in the public domain and survey agencies that conducted the field survey for the data collection have collected a prior consent from the respondent. The local ethics committee of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, ruled that no formal ethics approval was required to carry out research from this data source.

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Tripathy, A., Bhati, D.K., Srivastava, S. et al. Change in Socioeconomic Inequality in Minimum Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6–23 Months in India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey. Child Ind Res 16, 1049–1071 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-022-10004-y

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