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Factors That Determine the Dietary Diversity Score in Rural Households: The Case of the Paute River Basin of Azuay Province, Ecuador

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  • Otilia Vanessa Cordero-Ahiman

    (Grupo de Investigación en Economía Regional (GIER), Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador)

  • Jorge Leonardo Vanegas

    (Grupo de Investigación en Economía Regional (GIER), Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador
    Grupo de Producción Animal e Industrialización (PROANIN), Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba 060103, Ecuador)

  • Christian Franco-Crespo

    (Facultad de Ciencia e Ingeniería en Alimentos y Biotecnología, Campus Huachi, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato 180104, Ecuador)

  • Pablo Beltrán-Romero

    (Grupo de Investigación en Economía Regional (GIER), Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador)

  • María Elena Quinde-Lituma

    (Grupo de Investigación en Economía Regional (GIER), Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador)

Abstract

Inadequate food and nutrition affect human well-being, particularly for many poor subpopulations living in rural areas. The purpose of this research was to analyze the factors that determine the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) in the rural area of the Paute River Basin, Azuay Province, Ecuador. The sample size of 383 surveys was determined by a stratified random sampling method with proportional affixation. Dietary diversity was measured through the HDDS, with 12 food groups (cereals; roots and tubers; fruits; sugar/honey; meat and eggs; legumes or grains; vegetables; oils/fats; milk and dairy products; meats; miscellaneous; fish and shellfish) over a recall period of 7 days. A Poisson regression model was used to determine the relationship between the HDDS and sociodemographic variables. The results show that the average HDDS of food consumption is 10.89 foods. Of the analyzed food groups, the most consumed are cereals; roots and tubers; fruits; sugar/honey. In addition, the determinants that best explain the HDDS in the predictive model were housing size, household size, per capita food expenditure, area of cultivated land, level of education, and marital status of the head of household. The tools used in this research can be used to analyze food and nutrition security interventions. Furthermore, the results allow policymakers to identify applicable public policies in the fight against hunger.

Suggested Citation

  • Otilia Vanessa Cordero-Ahiman & Jorge Leonardo Vanegas & Christian Franco-Crespo & Pablo Beltrán-Romero & María Elena Quinde-Lituma, 2021. "Factors That Determine the Dietary Diversity Score in Rural Households: The Case of the Paute River Basin of Azuay Province, Ecuador," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:2059-:d:502432
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    2. Sienso, Gifty & Lyford, Conrad & Oldewage-Theron, Wilna, 2022. "Using instrumental variables to establish the relationship between household production diversity and household dietary diversity in northern Ghana," African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND), vol. 22(07).
    3. Duc, Kien Nguyen & Thai, Phan Nguyen & Nguyen, Cong Dinh & Dinh, Thi Kim Oanh & Nguyen, Thi Minh Phuong & Truong, Quang Dung, 2024. "Regional Heterogeneity in Livelihood Strategies and Its Implications for Household Welfare: A Panel Data Analysis of Rural Vietnam," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 16(3), June.

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