• Aaron Kobina Christian, Grace S Marquis, Esi K Colecraft, Anna Lartey, and Rula Soueida.
• Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Accra, Ghana. Electronic address: christiankobina@yahoo.com.
• Nutrition. 2019 Sep 1; 65: 97-102.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine predictors of household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and children's mean micronutrient density adequacy and the relationship among these dietary measures.MethodBaseline analysis of a quasi-experimental 16-mo intervention study conducted in 12 rural communities in the three main agroecological zones in Ghana. The study included 608 caregivers with their 2- to 5-y-old children. Nutrient density adequacy was estimated for a subsample of 120 children.ResultsFood insecurity was more severe among farming households than their non-farming counterparts (P = 0.032). Dietary diversity score was significantly higher among non-farming households than farming households (P < 0.001). Food insecurity was negatively correlated with both household dietary diversity (r = -0.385; P < 0.001) and child mean micronutrient adequacy (r = -0.305; P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between dietary diversity and children's mean micronutrient density adequacy. Belonging to a household that is severely food insecure and household size were significant predictors of children's mean micronutrient density adequacy (ß = -0.124, P = 0.006; ß = 0.011, P = 0.006, respectively).ConclusionHousehold food insecurity continues to be a good indicator of lower nutrient intake in children.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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