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Is dietary diversity an indicator of food security or dietary quality?: a review of measurement issues and research needs

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  • Ruel, Marie T.

Abstract

Although dietary diversity is universally recognized as a key component of healthy diets, there is still a lack of consensus on how to measure and operationalize it. This paper focuses on the issues of dietary diversity in developing countries. It also draws upon experience from developed countries to address the following questions: 1. How is dietary diversity conceptualized, operationalized, and measured, and how does it relate operationally to dietary quality? 2. Is there an association between dietary diversity and nutrient adequacy in developing countries? Between dietary diversity and child growth? 3. What is the relationship between household-level dietary diversity and socioeconomic factors and food security? 4. What key measurement issues need to be addressed to better operationalize and understand dietary diversity?

Suggested Citation

  • Ruel, Marie T., 2002. "Is dietary diversity an indicator of food security or dietary quality?: a review of measurement issues and research needs," FCND discussion papers 140, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:fcnddp:140
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    Cited by:

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    3. Ali, Mubarik & Farooq, Umar, 2004. "Dietary Diversity And Rural Labor Productivity: Evidence From Pakistan," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20310, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Maxwell, Daniel & Caldwell, Richard & Langworthy, Mark, 2008. "Measuring food insecurity: Can an indicator based on localized coping behaviors be used to compare across contexts?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 533-540, December.
    5. Alison Misselhorn, 2009. "Is a focus on social capital useful in considering food security interventions? Insights from KwaZulu-Natal," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(2), pages 189-208.
    6. Mousumi Das, 2014. "Measures, Spatial Profile and Determinants of Dietary Diversity: Evidence from India," Working Papers id:6273, eSocialSciences.
    7. Raghav Gaiha & Nidhi Kaicker & Katsushi S. Imai & Vani S. Kulkarni & Ganesh Thapa, 2014. "Dietary shift and diet quality in India: an analysis based on the 50th, 61st and 66th rounds of NSS," Chapters, in: Raghbendra Jha & Raghav Gaiha & Anil B. Deolalikar (ed.), Handbook on Food, chapter 8, pages 177-203, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Alcaraz V., Gabriela & Zeller, Manfred, 2007. "Use of household food insecurity scales for assessing poverty in Bangladesh and Uganda," 106th Seminar, October 25-27, 2007, Montpellier, France 7939, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    9. Zhou, Agatha Carol & Hendriks, Sheryl L., 2017. "Does Food Assistance Improve Recipients' Dietary Diversity and Food Quality in Mozambique?," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 56(3), July.
    10. Migotto, Mauro & Davis, Benjamin & Carletto, Calogero & Beegle, Kathleen, 2005. "Measuring food security using respondents' perception of food consumption adequacy," ESA Working Papers 289068, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    11. Smale, Melinda & Moursi, Mourad & Birol, Ekin, 2015. "How does adopting hybrid maize affect dietary diversity on family farms? Micro-evidence from Zambia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 44-53.
    12. Raghunathan, Kalyani & Headey, Derek & Herforth, Anna, 2021. "Affordability of nutritious diets in rural India," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    13. Smale, Melinda & Moursi, Mourad & Birol, Ekin, 2013. "Maize Hybrids, Diversity of Diets and Sources of Vitamin A among Smallholder Farmers in Zambia," 2013 Fourth International Conference, September 22-25, 2013, Hammamet, Tunisia 161475, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    14. Ragasa, Catherine & Mazunda, John, 2018. "The impact of agricultural extension services in the context of a heavily subsidized input system: The case of Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 25-47.
    15. Burchi, Francesco, 2010. "Child nutrition in Mozambique in 2003: The role of mother's schooling and nutrition knowledge," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 331-345, December.
    16. Smale, Melinda & Moursi, Mourad & Birol, Ekin & De Groote, Hugo, 2013. "Hybrid seed use and diversity of diets among women in smallholder maize-growing households in Zambia," HarvestPlus working papers 12, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Sara Stevano & Deborah Johnston & Emmanuel Codjoe, 2018. "Urban food security in the context of inequality and dietary change: a study of school children in Accra," Working Papers 20181804, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol.
    18. Francesco Burchi & Pasquale De Muro, "undated". "A Human Development and Capability Approach to Food Security: Conceptual Framework and Informational Basis," UNDP Africa Policy Notes 2012-009, United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Africa.
    19. Debela, Bethelhem Legesse & Shively, Gerald E. & Holden, Stein T., 2017. "Food for Work and Diet Diversity in Ethiopia," CLTS Working Papers 14/17, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Land Tenure Studies, revised 21 Oct 2019.
    20. Rashid, Dewan Arif & Smith, Lisa C. & Rahman, Tauhidur, 2011. "Determinants of Dietary Quality: Evidence from Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 2221-2231.
    21. Ajibola, Akeem & Kuku, Oluyemisi & Mathiassen, Astrid & Myles, Lucy & Wadhwa, Amit, 2013. "Comprehensive food security and vulnerability analysis: Nigeria:," IFPRI discussion papers 1275, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    22. Asfaw, Abay, 2007. "Micronutrient deficiency and the prevalence of mothers' overweight/obesity in Egypt," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 471-483, December.
    23. Gebrehiwot , Tagel & Hassen, Sied, 2022. "Impact of Energy Access on Food Security and Child Nutrition: Panel Data Evidence from Rural Ethiopia," EfD Discussion Paper 22-11, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    24. Honicke, Mireille & Ecker, Olivier & Qaim, Matin & Weinberger, Katinka, 2006. "Vitamin A and iron consumption and the role of indigenous vegetables: A household level analysis in the Philippines," Research in Development Economics and Policy (Discussion Paper Series) 8533, Universitaet Hohenheim, Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences in the Tropics and Subtropics.
    25. Rischke, Ramona & Kimenju, Simon C. & Klasen, Stephan & Qaim, Matin, 2015. "Supermarkets and food consumption patterns: The case of small towns in Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 9-21.

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