Micronutrient malnutrition remains a problem of public health concern in most developing countries, partly due to monotonous, cereal-based diets that lack diversity. The study objective was to assess whether dietary diversity score (DDS) based on a simple count of food groups consumed and DDS using a 10-g minimum intake for each food group (DDS 10g) are good indicators of adequate micronutrient intake in 24–71-mo-old non-breast-feeding Filipino children. Pearson's correlation and linear regression were used to assess the utility of DDS and DDS 10g as indicators of micronutrient intake. Sensitivity and specificity analysis were used to determine the most appropriate cut-off point for using DDS to categorize children with high probability of adequate micronutrient intake. The average diet of the sample population consisted of 4–5 food groups. The mean probability of adequate nutrient intake (MPA) of 11 micronutrients was 33%. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between MPA and DDS was 0.36 (P <0.001) and for DDS 10g it increased to 0.44 (P < 0.001). Intake of individual micronutrients was correlated to DDS for most nutrients. When maximizing sensitivity and specificity, the best cut-off points for achieving 50 and 75% probability of adequate micronutrient intake were 5 and 6 food groups, respectively. DDS and DDS 10g were both significant predictors of adequate micronutrient intake. This study demonstrates the utility of indicators of dietary diversity to predict adequate intake of micronutrients in the diets of young non-breast-feeding children.

Objective: To provide an overview of the household dietary diversity score and the food consumption score, two indicators used for food security assessment and surveillance, and compare their performance in food security assessments in three countries. Design: Cross-sectional cluster sampling design using an interview-administered structured questionnaire on household food security, including household-level food group consumption measured over 1 d and 7 d. Setting: Survey data are from Burkina Faso, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and northern Uganda. Subjects: Households in Burkina Faso (n 3640), Lao PDR (n 3913) and northern Uganda (n 1956). Results: Spearman’s correlation coefficients between the scores were 0·73 in Burkina Faso, 0·65 in Lao PDR and 0·53 in northern Uganda. Prevalence-adjusted kappa coefficients showed substantial strength of agreement in two countries. The proportion of agreement between the two scores ranged from 85 % in Lao PDR to 65 % in northern Uganda. Dietary profiles based on food group consumption using score tertiles were comparable. Rankings of the most food-insecure areas within a country corresponded well in northern Uganda and Burkina Faso but not in Lao PDR. Both indicators showed moderate correlations with other proxy measures of food security. Conclusions: The comparative study highlights the similarities and differences between the food consumption and household dietary diversity scores. Similar classification of the most food-insecure areas within sub-national levels was obtained. The choice of indicator for food security assessment and surveillance will vary depending on user needs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnancy on young child development. METHODS: A 2-year follow-up of 850 children born to women who participated in a double-blind cluster randomized controlled trial of prenatal micronutrient supplementation in western rural China. These women were randomly assigned to receive either daily folic acid, iron/folic acid (60 mg iron), or multiple micronutrients (with 30 mg iron) during pregnancy. Children were categorized into the prenatal-IDA and prenatal–non-IDA groups based on the mother’s hemoglobin in the third trimester. Each group contained 3 subgroups based on mother’s treatment: folic acid, iron/folic acid, and multiple micronutrients. Bayley scales of infant development were administered to the children to assess their development at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. RESULTS: Compared with the prenatal–non-IDA group, the prenatal-IDA group showed a significantly lower mental development index at 12, 18, and 24 months of age. The adjusted mean difference was 5.8 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–10.5), 5.1 (95% CI, 1.2–9.0), and 5.3 (95% CI, 0.9–9.7), respectively. Further analysis showed that the mental development indexes in the prenatal-IDA group and prenatal–non-IDA group were similar with supplementation of iron/folic acid but were significantly lower in the prenatal-IDA group with supplementation of folic acid or multiple micronutrients. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal IDA in the third trimester is associated with mental development of the child. However, prenatal supplementation with sufficient iron protects child development even when the woman’s IDA was not properly corrected in pregnancy.