The nutritional quality of food has an important impact on the health and well-being of families, especially children whose bodies need to grow, develop and reach their full physical and mental potential. Traditionally, women in Ghana provide care and nourishment for their children and families if they have the means to do so or if they are financially, legally and socially empowered. Women’s empowerment is not only important for women’s human rights, but also improves nutrition and health outcomes of both mothers and their children. Women’s empowerment is concerned with increasing ability to make strategic life choices in situations where the ability was hitherto denied. This study sought to investigate the association between women’s empowerment and minimum daily meal frequency (minimum number of meals to be consumed in a day) in Ghana. The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). A sample of 1640 mother-child dyad was used. Mothers ages ranged from 15 to 49 while children’s ages ranged from 6 to 23 months. Univariate and multiple linear regression techniques were applied to identify women empowerment (economic, socio-familial and legal) and sociodemographic factors associated with minimum daily meal frequency scores. Data was analyzed by the STATA statistical package software version 13.0. Statistical significance level was set at P < 0.10. Data from decisions on large household purchases (β = 0.351, p < 0.01) family visits (β = 0.743, p < 0.01), home ownership (β = − 0.245, p < 0.10), age of child (β = 1.387, p < 0.01), mother’s educational attainment (β = 0.496, p < 0.10) and place of residence (β = − 0.298, p < 0.10) showed significant positive association with minimum daily meal frequency in Ghana. Minimum daily meal frequency was largely influenced by economic and socio-familial factors that contribute to empowerment of women. as decisions on large household purchases and family visits showed significant positive association with minimum daily meal frequency. Interventional programs should target households and mothers with lower socio-demographic characteristics such as lower educational levels and low economic status to improve minimal daily meal frequency in their children thereby ensuring better child health and well-being. Minimum daily meal frequency is influenced by various dimensions of empowerment of women such as economic and socio-familial empowerment. There is the need for improved advocacy for women to be involved in decision-making on family visits and large household purchases as these activities promote frequent meal attainment of children Interventional programs should target households and mothers with lower socio-demographics characteristics such as lower educational level, lower income and those residing in rural areas to improve feeding at least the minimum daily meal frequency to children for their better health and well-being.

中文翻译：

---

加纳婴幼儿的妇女赋权和最低每日用餐频率：加纳人口和健康调查分析

食物的营养质量对家庭的健康和福祉具有重要影响，尤其是身体需要成长、发育并充分发挥身心潜能的儿童。传统上，如果加纳妇女有能力或在经济、法律和社会方面拥有权力，她们会为子女和家人提供照料和营养。赋予妇女权力不仅对妇女的人权很重要，而且可以改善母亲及其子女的营养和健康状况。增强妇女权能与提高在迄今为止被拒绝的情况下做出战略性生活选择的能力有关。本研究旨在调查加纳妇女赋权与最低每日进餐频率（一天最少进餐次数）之间的关联。该研究使用了 2014 年加纳人口与健康调查 (GDHS) 的数据。使用了 1640 个母子二人组的样本。母亲的年龄介于 15 至 49 岁之间，而儿童的年龄介于 6 至 23 个月之间。应用单变量和多元线性回归技术来确定与最低每日进餐频率得分相关的女性赋权（经济、社会家庭和法律）和社会人口因素。数据采用STATA统计软件包13.0版进行分析。统计显着性水平设为 P < 0.10。来自大家庭购买决策的数据 (β = 0.351, p < 0.01) 家庭访问 (β = 0.743, p < 0.01)、房屋所有权 (β = − 0.245, p < 0.10)、儿童年龄 (β = 1.387, p < 0.01)、母亲的教育程度 (β = 0.496, p < 0.10) 和居住地 (β = − 0.298, p < 0. 10) 与加纳的最低每日进餐频率呈显着正相关。最低每日进餐频率在很大程度上受到有助于增强妇女权能的经济和社会家庭因素的影响。因为大家庭购买和家庭访问的决定与最低每日进餐频率呈显着正相关。干预计划应针对社会人口特征较低（例如教育水平较低和经济地位较低）的家庭和母亲，以改善其子女的最低每日进餐频率，从而确保更好的儿童健康和福祉。最低每日进餐频率受到赋予妇女权力的各个方面的影响，例如经济和社会家庭赋权。