A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Abstract The dietary quality of women of reproductive age (WRA) is particularly important during preconception, conception, and pregnancy for themselves and their offspring. Poorly diversified diets resulting in inadequate micronutrient consumption may have adverse effects on their health. This narr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Food Science & Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3855 |
| _version_ | 1797271763219906560 |
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| author | Md. Hafizul Islam Md. Moniruzzaman Nayan Ahmed Jubayer Md. Ruhul Amin |
| author_facet | Md. Hafizul Islam Md. Moniruzzaman Nayan Ahmed Jubayer Md. Ruhul Amin |
| author_sort | Md. Hafizul Islam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The dietary quality of women of reproductive age (WRA) is particularly important during preconception, conception, and pregnancy for themselves and their offspring. Poorly diversified diets resulting in inadequate micronutrient consumption may have adverse effects on their health. This narrative review summarizes the findings of studies reporting on dietary diversity and micronutrient intake by WRA in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Studies on WRA aged 15–49 years in LMICs, with a sample size of more than 150, report dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake based on 24‐h dietary recall/food weighed record/food frequency questionnaire, and published between January 2011 and June 2021 were included. The results were compared to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended cut‐off for dietary diversity and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended age‐ and sex‐specific estimated average requirements (EARs) for micronutrient intake. This review includes 35 articles, of which 21 focused on dietary diversity and 14 on micronutrient intake. The results showed that WRA in LMICs had inadequate dietary diversity, with mean food group consumption of only 3.0–4.84, and around 42.3%–90% of women consumed inadequately diversified diets (<5 food groups). Additionally, most studies found that WRA did not consume adequate amounts of essential micronutrients, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and vitamin B12. However, the intake of vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin B6 was above the required levels. In conclusion, this review highlights the common inadequacy of dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake among WRA in most LMICs. Effective measures involving improving dietary diversity, food fortification with micronutrients, and supplementation programs could help improve the dietary quality and intake of optimal micronutrients by women in LMICs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:12:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99543f4c5b5a40b68282a6ba05f544ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2048-7177 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:12:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Food Science & Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-99543f4c5b5a40b68282a6ba05f544ce2024-03-06T14:22:27ZengWileyFood Science & Nutrition2048-71772024-03-011231367137910.1002/fsn3.3855A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countriesMd. Hafizul Islam0Md. Moniruzzaman Nayan1Ahmed Jubayer2Md. Ruhul Amin3Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka Dhaka BangladeshInstitute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka Dhaka BangladeshInstitute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka Dhaka BangladeshInstitute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka Dhaka BangladeshAbstract The dietary quality of women of reproductive age (WRA) is particularly important during preconception, conception, and pregnancy for themselves and their offspring. Poorly diversified diets resulting in inadequate micronutrient consumption may have adverse effects on their health. This narrative review summarizes the findings of studies reporting on dietary diversity and micronutrient intake by WRA in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Studies on WRA aged 15–49 years in LMICs, with a sample size of more than 150, report dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake based on 24‐h dietary recall/food weighed record/food frequency questionnaire, and published between January 2011 and June 2021 were included. The results were compared to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended cut‐off for dietary diversity and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended age‐ and sex‐specific estimated average requirements (EARs) for micronutrient intake. This review includes 35 articles, of which 21 focused on dietary diversity and 14 on micronutrient intake. The results showed that WRA in LMICs had inadequate dietary diversity, with mean food group consumption of only 3.0–4.84, and around 42.3%–90% of women consumed inadequately diversified diets (<5 food groups). Additionally, most studies found that WRA did not consume adequate amounts of essential micronutrients, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and vitamin B12. However, the intake of vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin B6 was above the required levels. In conclusion, this review highlights the common inadequacy of dietary diversity and multiple micronutrient intake among WRA in most LMICs. Effective measures involving improving dietary diversity, food fortification with micronutrients, and supplementation programs could help improve the dietary quality and intake of optimal micronutrients by women in LMICs.https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3855dietary diversitylow‐ and middle‐income countriesmicronutrient intakewomen of reproductive age |
| spellingShingle | Md. Hafizul Islam Md. Moniruzzaman Nayan Ahmed Jubayer Md. Ruhul Amin A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries Food Science & Nutrition dietary diversity low‐ and middle‐income countries micronutrient intake women of reproductive age |
| title | A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries |
| title_full | A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries |
| title_fullStr | A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries |
| title_short | A review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low‐ and middle‐income countries |
| title_sort | review of the dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy among the women of reproductive age in low and middle income countries |
| topic | dietary diversity low‐ and middle‐income countries micronutrient intake women of reproductive age |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3855 |
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