AUTHOR=Hu Binshuo , Tang Shihua , Wang Zhuo , Chen Youhai , Chen Xiaohui , Zhao Qian , Jiang Yu , Shen Minghui , Zhang Chong , Kaliszewski Catherine , Wang Liang , Zhang Ying TITLE=Dietary diversity is associated with nutrient adequacy, blood biomarkers and anthropometric status among preschool children in poor ethnic minority area of Northwest China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition VOLUME=9 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.948555 DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.948555 ISSN=2296-861X ABSTRACT=Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate the status of dietary diversity, nutrient adequacy, blood biomarkers of nutrients, and anthropometric status, as well as to determine the predictors of dietary diversity score (DDS) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) among preschool children in poor ethnic minority areas of northwest China.

Methods

A total of 578 healthy preschool children aged 3–6 from 17 kindergartens were selected to assess dietary intake, anthropometric status (height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), and blood biomarkers. DDS and nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) were adopted to assess dietary diversity and micronutrient adequacy, respectively.

Results

The mean DDS (ranging from 1 to 9) was relatively low (4.67 ± 1.56). Most participants consumed starchy staples, but few participants consumed organ meat. DDS was associated with serum potassium, serum iron, WAZ, HAZ, all NARs, and MAR (all p < 0.05). Living in urban areas (β = 0.158), higher household wealth (β = 0.116), and more caregivers’ nutritional knowledge (β = 0.022) were positively associated with DDS (all p < 0.01), while living in urban areas (β = 0.031), higher education of caregivers (β = 0.0.027), and higher DDS (β = 0.049) were positively associated with MAR (all p < 0.01).

Discussion

In conclusion, dietary diversity was associated with nutrient adequacy and other health outcomes. Nutritional education and poverty alleviation are integral to improving the nutritional status of preschool children.