Prevalence, Regional Disparities and Associated Factors of Vitamin A-rich Food Consumption Among Children 6-24 Months in Somaliland: Evidence from a National Survey
Abstract
Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamin A deficiency (VAD), pose a significant public health challenge in developing nations by contributing to child morbidity and mortality; however, empirical evidence regarding dietary intake among young children in Somaliland remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence, regional disparities, and factors associated with the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods among children aged 6–24 months in Somaliland. A secondary analysis of 1,086 children was conducted using data from the 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey (SDHS), a nationally representative community-based cross-sectional survey. The outcome variable was the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods in the 24 hours preceding the interview, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors using Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). The overall prevalence of vitamin A-rich food consumption was 56.45% (95% CI: 53.47–59.37%), with fresh milk being the predominant source (48.07%), while fruit and vegetable intake remained markedly low. Substantial regional disparities were observed, ranging from 73.24% in the Sahil region to 49.48% in the Sanaag region. Multivariable analysis revealed that children from middle (AOR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.38–0.93) and rich (AOR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.36–0.71) wealth quintiles were significantly less likely to consume vitamin A-rich foods compared to those from poor households. Conversely, maternal exposure to mass media was a strong positive predictor of intake (AOR = 5.04; 95% CI: 1.55–16.43). In conclusion, vitamin A-rich food consumption among young children in Somaliland is suboptimal and geographically uneven. These findings highlight a dietary paradox where higher household wealth correlates with lower intake, underscoring the vital role of maternal media exposure and nutrition education in improving child feeding practices across all socioeconomic strata.