In the heart of Nigeria, a revolution in dietary assessment is underway, promising to reshape how we understand and improve nutrition on a global scale. At the forefront of this change is Olutayo Adeyemi, a researcher from the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Ibadan. Adeyemi’s work, published in the journal ‘Current Developments in Nutrition’ (translated from English as ‘Current Developments in Nutrition’), introduces the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ), a tool that could transform how we monitor and enhance dietary diversity, particularly for women of reproductive age.
Traditional methods of assessing diets, such as the 24-hour dietary recall, are notoriously time-consuming and expensive. They require specialized skills and can be impractical for large-scale studies, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Adeyemi’s DQQ offers a more efficient alternative. “The DQQ uses a sentinel foods, close-ended list-based method, making it a reliable and cost-effective approach for collecting and analyzing data on minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W),” Adeyemi explains.
The MDD-W indicator measures whether women consume at least five out of ten predefined food groups, serving as a proxy for micronutrient adequacy. This indicator is crucial for tracking progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in regions where malnutrition remains a significant challenge.
Adeyemi’s research, conducted in collaboration with Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, has been implemented in various dairy development programs in Nigeria. Between September 2017 and December 2024, different methods were used to collect MDD-W data, including quantitative 24-h dietary recall, nonquantitative open-recall, open-ended lists, closed-ended extensive lists, and the DQQ. The results were clear: the DQQ provided the most cost-effective and time-saving approach to obtaining valid results.
The implications of this research are far-reaching. By integrating the DQQ into national data systems, countries can more effectively monitor MDD-W and other diet quality indicators. This could lead to more targeted and efficient interventions, ultimately improving the nutritional status of women and their families.
For the energy sector, the commercial impacts are significant. Better nutrition leads to a healthier workforce, increased productivity, and reduced healthcare costs. As Adeyemi notes, “The DQQ can increase the ability of countries and programs to monitor MDD-W and other diet quality indicators, facilitating progress tracking toward the SDGs.”
As we look to the future, the DQQ represents a pivotal tool in the fight against malnutrition. Its potential to streamline data collection and analysis could revolutionize how we approach dietary assessments, making it easier to identify and address nutritional deficiencies. This, in turn, could drive significant improvements in public health, economic productivity, and overall well-being. The journey towards better nutrition starts with better data, and the DQQ is a significant step in that direction.