Determinants of Women’s Dietary Diversity and Consumption of Micronutrient-rich Foods in Winter in the Kyrgyz Republic

Objective:

Minimum diet diversity among women (MDD-W) is associated with adequate micronutrient intake. In an area where food insecurity is not a barrier for most households, dietary diversity remains a seasonal challenge in winter. Fruits and vegetables are not commonly consumed in winter due to scarcity and price.

Methods:

We identified key determinants of women’s dietary diversity and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods in winter in three areas of the Kyrgyz Republic: Naryn, Jalalabad and Uzgen. Data were collected in late winter (February/March 2017) from 1,359 women (~450 per area) during a cross-sectional survey using a 24-hour list-based dietary recall. We looked at the mean number of food groups consumed by women in Naryn (5.2), Jalalabad (5.8) and Uzgen (5.3). We utilized logistic regression analysis to identify key determinants of MDD-W.

Results:

The percent of women who consumed micronutrient-rich food groups were respectively, e.g. animal flesh (90.3%, 92.7%, 91.1%); dark green leafy vegetables (34.2%, 47.0%, 43.0%); and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (65.3%, 81.8%, 74.3%) in each area. From the logistic regression, we found that high school education (OR: 1.89), fall storage of 4+ foods (OR: 1.66) and left-over preserved foods (OR: 4.31) were associated with greater odds of consuming diverse diets in late winter.

Conclusions:

These results imply that women’s dietary diversity could be enhanced during the winter season with the adoption of key practices that promote storage and preservation in the fall to increase availability in the winter.