# Consumption of Selected Healthy and Unhealthy Food Groups and Associations With Nutritional Status Among Children 2–5 Years of Age in Northern Ghana

## TL;DR

This study examines the diets of young children in northern Ghana and finds that most do not meet recommended fruit and vegetable intake, while consuming significant amounts of unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into dietary patterns and their associations with nutritional status in young children in rural and urban northern Ghana.

## Key findings

- Most children consumed vegetables, sweet snacks, and fruits regularly, but few met WHO fruit and vegetable guidelines.
- Higher household food insecurity was linked to increased consumption of all food groups.
- Few associations were found between food consumption and nutritional status indicators.

## Abstract

Poor diet quality may contribute to the multiple forms of malnutrition among children in Ghana. This cross‐sectional study (1) described the prevalence and frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSB), salty snacks and sweet snacks among children 2–5 years in northern Ghana; (2) identified factors associated with consumption; and (3) examined relationships between consumption and nutritional status. Households were recruited from urban and rural clusters in Tolon and Kumbungu districts. Children's (2–5 years; n = 243) dietary data were collected using a questionnaire modelled after the WHO STEPS tool. We assessed children's height, weight, haemoglobin and micronutrient biomarker (n = 125) concentrations. We used multi‐variable logistic and linear regression to identify individual, maternal and household factors predicting consumption of the food groups and relationships between consumption and nutritional status. In a typical week, most children consumed vegetables (98%), sweet snacks (81%) and fruits (76%); 50% consumed salty snacks and 46% consumed SSB. Average number of servings consumed weekly, mean (SD), was: 7.9 (7.3) vegetables, 2.9 (2.5) sweet snacks, 2.6 (3.9) SSB, 1.8 (1.7) fruits and 1.2 (1.7) salty snacks. Children in households with higher food insecurity were more likely to report consumption of all food groups (> 0 servings fruits, SSB, salty snacks and sweet snacks; ≥ 7 servings vegetables weekly), but other characteristics did not consistently predict consumption. Few associations were found between consumption and nutritional status. Interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake to align with guidelines, while avoiding SSB and snack foods, are needed.

Diets of children 2–5 years in Kumbungu and Tolon districts, northern Ghana, were severely inadequate with respect to recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables, with only ~11% meeting WHO recommendations.Half of children reported consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages in a typical week, and 87% consumed sweet or salty snacks, but average servings consumed in a typical week were < 3 for each food group.These findings suggest the need to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among young children without increasing sugar‐sweetened beverage or sweet and salty snack consumption in these communities.

Diets of children 2–5 years in Kumbungu and Tolon districts, northern Ghana, were severely inadequate with respect to recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables, with only ~11% meeting WHO recommendations.

Half of children reported consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages in a typical week, and 87% consumed sweet or salty snacks, but average servings consumed in a typical week were < 3 for each food group.

These findings suggest the need to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among young children without increasing sugar‐sweetened beverage or sweet and salty snack consumption in these communities.