Background: Adequate quality complementary diets and appropriate feeding practices are important for proper growth and development of young children. Objective: To assess factors associated with diet diversity, meal frequency, and acceptable diet of children aged 6 to 23 months in two agroecological zones of Rongai subcounty, Kenya. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 mothers/caregivers with children aged 6 to 23 months. A structured questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic characteristics and child feeding practices. Diet diversity, meal frequency, and acceptable diet were derived from a 24-hour recall of child’s food intake. Factors associated with diet quality were determined using binary logistic regression. Results: Mean child diet diversity score was 3.54 ± 1.0 of 7 food groups, with 56.8% of the children achieving minimum dietary diversity. A majority of the children (81.8%) received minimum meal frequency (MMF), with significant (P < .05) difference between low (91.1%) and high (75.2%) agricultural potential areas. Children who received minimum acceptable diet (MAD) were only 34.1%. Mother/caregiver education level positively (P < .05) associated with minimum diet diversity in low potential area (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.79, 95% CI: 1.47-9.75) and with MAD in high potential area (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.01-3.46). Other factors associated with MDD, MMF, and MAD included household income and slow feeding in low potential area, and child gender and active feeding in high potential area. Conclusion: There is a variation in factors associated with diet quality and child feeding practices in different agroecological zones. Therefore, nutrition education and behavior change communication interventions aimed at improving child nutrition should be context-specific.

中文翻译：

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肯尼亚 Rongai 子县低和高农业生态区 6 至 23 个月儿童饮食质量相关因素的变化

背景：充足的优质补充饮食和适当的喂养方法对于幼儿的正常生长和发育很重要。目的：评估与肯尼亚 Rongai 子县两个农业生态区 6 至 23 个月儿童的饮食多样性、进餐频率和可接受饮食相关的因素。方法：对 384 名有 6 至 23 个月儿童的母亲/照顾者进行了横断面研究。结构化问卷用于评估社会人口学特征和儿童喂养实践。饮食多样性、进餐频率和可接受的饮食来自对儿童食物摄入量的 24 小时回忆。使用二元逻辑回归确定与饮食质量相关的因素。结果：在 7 个食物组中，平均儿童饮食多样性得分为 3.54 ± 1.0，其中 56 个。8% 的儿童达到最低限度的饮食多样性。大多数儿童 (81.8%) 接受最低膳食频率 (MMF)，低 (91.1%) 和高 (75.2%) 农业潜力地区之间存在显着差异 (P < .05)。接受最低可接受饮食 (MAD) 的儿童仅占 34.1%。母亲/照顾者的教育水平与低潜力地区的最低饮食多样性（调整后的优势比 [AOR] = 3.79，95% CI：1.47-9.75）和高潜力地区的 MAD 呈正相关（P < .05）（AOR = 1.87） , 95% 置信区间：1.01-3.46)。与 MDD、MMF 和 MAD 相关的其他因素包括低潜力地区的家庭收入和缓慢喂养，以及高潜力地区的儿童性别和积极喂养。结论：在不同的农业生态区，与饮食质量和儿童喂养习惯相关的因素存在差异。