Analyzing socioeconomic and regional inequalities in minimum dietary diversity consumption among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia: A decomposed concentration index approach

Abel Endawkie ^1* Shimels Derso Kebede ² Eyob Tilahun Abeje ² Ermias Bekele Enyew ² Chala Daba ² Lakew Asmare ² Mele BF ² Mastewal Arefaynie ² Asnakew Molla Mekonen ² Abiyu Abadi Tareke ² Awoke Keleb ² Kaleab Abera ² Natnael Kebede ² Endalkachew Mesfin ² Aznamariam Ayres ² Yawkal Tsega ²

• ¹ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia
• ² College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopia faces inadequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and it significantly contributes to rising death rates and the distribution of diseases among 6-23 month-old children.The evidence of socioeconomic and regional inequality is at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially crucial for guiding the creation of local, regional, and national policies and initiatives that address the inequalities in MDD consumption to achieve SDGs of ending all forms of malnutrition. However, there is limited evidence on socioeconomic and regional inequality of MDD consumption among children in Ethiopia. Therefore, the study investigated socioeconomic and regional inequality of MDD among Children Aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia.Method: This study utilized nationwide representative weighted 3,145 samples from the 2019 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS). Concentration index decomposition was employed to estimate the socioeconomic and regional inequalities of MDD consumption among children aged 6-23 months.The prevalence of adequate MDD in Ethiopia was 7.11%. The Concentration index (CIX) of MDD with wealth status and regions of Ethiopia was 0.3 and 0.084 with the p-values (<0.05) respectively. The concentration curve was below the equality line and adequate MDD was concentrated on pro-rich, developed, and urban regions of Ethiopia. Maternal education (0.88%), sex of the household head (0.3%), and region (3.1%) contributed to the observed inequality of MDD for pro-poor and pro-rich. Wealth status (11.06%), maternal age (6.7%), maternal educational status (1.87%), and residence (0.02%) contributed to the inequality of MDD consumption in less developed and developed regions of Ethiopia.The study revealed that the wealth and regional inequalities of MDD consumption in Ethiopia are contributed by the marital status of parents, women's educational status, place of residence, and short preceding birth. Adequate MDD consumption among children in Ethiopia is concentrated in pro-rich and developed regions of Ethiopia. Therefore, efforts should be geared toward reducing poverty, improving maternal education, and interventions in particular, nutrition and public health organizations should support less developed regions to achieve diet diversity for infants and young children.