Dietary diversity of formal and informal residents in Johannesburg, South Africa
Date
2013-10
Authors
Drimie, Scott
Faber, Mieke
Veary, Jo
Nunez, Lorena
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central
Abstract
Background: This paper considers the question of dietary diversity as a proxy for nutrition insecurity in
communities living in the inner city and the urban informal periphery in Johannesburg. It argues that the issue of nutrition insecurity demands urgent and immediate attention by policy makers.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken for households from urban informal (n = 195) and urban formal (n = 292) areas in Johannesburg, South Africa. Foods consumed by the respondents the previous day were used to calculate a Dietary Diversity Score; a score < 4 was considered low.
Results: Statistical comparisons of means between groups revealed that respondents from informal settlements consumed mostly cereals and meat/poultry/fish, while respondents in formal settlements consumed a more varied diet. Significantly more respondents living in informal settlements consumed a diet of low diversity (68.1%) versus those in formal settlements (15.4%). When grouped in quintiles, two-thirds of respondents from informal settlements fell in the lowest two, versus 15.4% living in formal settlements. Households who experienced periods of food shortages during the previous 12 months had a lower mean DDS than those from food secure households (4.00 ± 1.6 versus 4.36 ± 1.7; p = 0.026).
Conclusions: Respondents in the informal settlements were more nutritionally vulnerable. Achieving nutrition
security requires policies, strategies and plans to include specific nutrition considerations.
Description
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
The original publication is available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/911
The original publication is available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/911
Keywords
Diet -- South Africa -- Johannesburg, Food consumption -- South Africa -- Johannesburg, Nutrition -- South Africa -- Johannesburg, Food supply -- South Africa -- Johannesburg
Citation
Drimie, S., Faber, M., Vearey, J. & Nunez, L. 2013. Dietary diversity of formal and informal residents in Johannesburg, South Africa. BMC Public Health, 13:911, doi:10.1186/1474-2458-13-911.