Child Food Poverty among Children Aged 6–23 Months in the Maradi Region, Niger: A Cross-Sectional Study of Magnitude, Associated Factors, and Urban–rural Disparities
Abstract:
Child food poverty, defined by the UNICEF framework according to the number of food groups consumed in the previous 24 hours, is an indicator of inadequate dietary diversity among young children. This study assessed the prevalence of child food poverty, its associated factors, and urban-rural disparities among children aged 6-23 months in the Maradi region of Niger. A cross-sectional survey conducted from September to October 2025 included 1,343 children with complete dietary information. Child food poverty was categorized as no food poverty (≥5 food groups), moderate food poverty (3-4 food groups), or severe food poverty (0-2 food groups). Associations were examined using chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression, while urban-rural differences were assessed using a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition. Overall, 95.0% of children experienced moderate or severe food poverty, including 51.4% with severe food poverty. Severe food poverty was most common among children aged 6-11 months (90.3%). Rural residence was strongly associated with both moderate (aRRR = 7.20; 95% CI: 3.50–14.82) and severe food poverty (aRRR = 14.69; 95% CI: 6.77–31.87). Children aged 18-23 months were less likely to experience severe food poverty than younger children. Although food poverty was substantially higher in rural areas than in urban areas, observed characteristics did not significantly explain this disparity. These findings underscore the urgent need for interventions targeting dietary diversity, particularly among younger children and rural populations.References:
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