Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Dietary Diversity Scores and Nutritional Status of Under-Five Children in Rural Sokoto State

Dietary diversity is a validated proxy indicator for micronutrient adequacy and overall diet quality in young children, yet its relationship to anthropometric nutritional outcomes in semi-arid rural settings in Nigeria remains incompletely characterised. This study empirically examined the association between dietary diversity scores and nutritional status indicators (stunting, wasting, and underweight) among 380 children aged 6 to 59 months in three rural Local Government Areas of Sokoto State. A cross-sectional design was employed. Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women and Children metrics adapted from Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines were used to assess dietary diversity over a 24-hour recall period. Anthropometric measurements were taken and z-scores calculated using World Health Organization AnthroPlus software. Multiple logistic regression was applied to adjust for potential confounders including maternal education, household food security status, and child age. Results showed a mean dietary diversity score of 3.2 out of 8 food groups, reflecting predominantly monotonous diets. Dietary diversity score below 4 was significantly associated with increased odds of stunting (OR: 2.84, 95 percent CI: 1.63 to 4.96) and underweight (OR: 2.11, 95 percent CI: 1.22 to 3.65). Animal source food consumption was the single food group most strongly associated with reduced stunting odds. Household food security moderated the relationship between diversity and stunting status. The study fills an important empirical gap and recommends targeting dietary diversity improvement through social protection-linked nutrition interventions in Sokoto State. Keywords: dietary diversity, stunting, child nutrition, Sokoto, anthropometry.