Background: Though a number of studies have shown that dietary diversity is related to nutritional adequacy,
little is known about the extent dietary diversity contributes to the haematological status of children aged 6-24
months. The aim of this study was to assess the independent contribution of dietary diversity to haematological
status of children aged 6-59 months whilst controlling for potential confounding factors including malarial
infection.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted. A stratified Probability Proportionate to
Population Size (PPS) approach was applied to select the study clusters. The association between dependent
variable (anaemia) and independent variables was determined using both bivariate and multiple logistic
regression modeling.
Results: The mean haemoglobin concentration among the children studied was 10.2 g/dl ± 1.42 and an overall
prevalence of anaemia was 68.7% (CI: 65.1, 72.0).Minimum diet diversity was associated with adequate
haematological status among only children who were at least three years but not in children less than three
years. Children aged at least three years who met minimum diet diversity (4+ food groups) were 45% less
likely of becoming anaemic (AOR= 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31 - 0.98), compared to their counterparts who did not
meet minimum diet diversity (<4 food groups).
Conclusions: Minimum dietary diversity independently protects against anaemia among children 36-59
months but this was not discernible among children 6-35 months in Northern Ghana.