Abstract
BACKGROUND: Identifying the combination of local foods that optimize nutrient intake is challenging. This study addressed how local foods could be rationally combined to provide basic nutritional needs, while limiting the use of commercial foods among children in Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out to estimate dietary intakes of 396 children (6-23 months of age) using 24-hour recall and WDR. Anthropometrics (weight and height) of the children was taken to calibrate energy and protein requirements to body sizes during ProPAN analysis. Model parameters were defined using dietary and market-survey data. ProPAN (2.0), SAS (9.2), and NutriSurvey for Windows were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Age-specific optimal combinations of local foods that achieve nutrient adequacy set by the WHO/FAO (≥70% RDA) for 9 nutrients were successfully generated. Overall, the percentage of children consuming ≥ EAR for most nutrients obtained from median servings was 54.3%, 89.9%, 61.8%, 12.9%, 85.6%, 79.7%, and 34.2% for energy, protein, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, respectively. The percentage of RDA was 46.3% for zinc, 56.7% for vitamin A, 24.3% for vitamin C, and 40% for calcium among infants (6-11 months), whereas the respective percentage of RDA was 78.1% for zinc, 100% for vitamin A, 43.3% for vitamin C, and 50% for calcium in older children (12-23 months of age). However, careful combination of local foods, slightly complimented by commercial foods, has shown substantial improvement in nutrient adequacy, ensuring ≥99% RDA for all target nutrients. CONCLUSIONS: Careful combinations of local foods have the potential to achieve optimum dietary intakes of essential nutrients. However, minimal consideration of commercial foods has been inevitable, especially for infants aged 6-11 months.