Dietary Diversity and Its Associated Factors Among High School Adolescent Girls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2025

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Dietary diversity (DD) assesses the access and consumption of varieties of food types, there are few studies conducted on DD, the current study targeted adolescent girls in high schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Objective To assess the magnitude of DD and its associated factors among high school adolescent girls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods An institutional‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted on 621 female adolescents from May 1 to 30, 2025. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants. The data were entered into epi‐data version 3.1 and were exported to SPSS version 25. Variables were screened using the bivariable logistic regression analysis model. Those candidate variables having p value ≤ 0.25 were exported to the multivariable logistic analysis. Statistical significance was declared if p < 0.05. Result The prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity score (DDS) among adolescent girls was 33.4%, 95%CI [29.66%, 37.14%] with average of 6.48 food groups consumed daily. Grains/roots and tubers (77.7%) were the most commonly consumed food groups in the last 24 h dietary recall. Maternal education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.42, 95%CI, (1.12–2.99)], Meal frequency [AOR = 1.54, 95%CI, (1.06–2.25)], Nutritional education [AOR = 1.53, 95%CI, (1.35–1.80)] and Consumption of sweet foods [AOR = 1.71, 95%CI, (1.17–2.50)] were independent predictors of inadequate DDS. Conclusion One third of female adolescents had inadequate DDS. Grains/tubers and roots were the most consumed food groups. Maternal education, meal frequency, nutritional education, and nonconsumption of more sweet foods/drinks were significantly associated with the inadequate DDS.