A Gendered Perspective on Household Dietary Diversity Status in Mbinga District, Tanzania

Introduction: This study examines household dietary diversity in Mbinga District, Tanzania, focusing on under-fives, examining sources of household food, gender relations, and differences in dietary scores among female-headed and male-headed households.

Methodology: The study adopted a cross sectional research design where by a total of 150 heads of households whose children aged 0 - 59 months were assessed. A structured questionnaire and interview checklist were administered to collect data from heads of the households and key informants respectively. Data were coded and analysed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme and STATA. An Independent two-sample t-test was used to differentiate the sources of household food and status of dietary diversity between the female-headed and male-headed households.

Results: Out of 150 households, 74% secure food from farm harvests, 26% rely on purchase, and starchy staple foods are the most consumed, while poultry, milk, dairy, and flesh foods are least consumed. Cereals, roots, and tubers were the most common staple foods in the studied community, and they had the highest score of 98.7%, whereas poultry products scored 3.3%. The independent sample t-test revealed that, there was a significant difference in the consumption score of flesh foods in male-headed households (M = 4.39, SD = 1.74), and female-headed households (M = 1.26, SD = 0.44); t = 5.28, p = 0.000. Similarly, there was a significant difference in the consumption score of poultry products in female-headed households (M = 2.65, SD = 0.44), and male-headed households (M = 5.26, SD = 1.71); t = 6.34, p = 0.000. Moreover, a significant difference in the consumption of milk and dairy products such as chicken and eggs was found in female-headed households (M = 1.54, SD = 0.30) and male-headed households (M = 4.54, SD = 1.80) (t = 2.014, p = 0.010).

Conclusion and Recommendations: The study comes to the conclusion that, in the Mbinga District, there are variations in the dietary diversity of households according to household headship. Female-headed households had low dietary diversity as compared to male-headed households. The primary food source for households was the harvest from farms, with male-headed households making up the majority of purchases due to their relative economic wellness compared to female-headed households. As a result, nutritional diversity in households varied according to family headship. The Tanzanian government should develop gender-responsive sensitization programs to ensure equal access to food, resources, education, and economic opportunities for both men and women. Addressing insufficient household dietary diversity requires collecting and integrating data on national food security and nutrition statistics, fostering collaboration, and empowering unprivileged women. Additionally, the Tanzania Social Action Fund should support female-headed households, particularly those with abandoned male heads.