Dietary diversity and maternal perspectives of indigenous food consumption among infants in Kitui county, Kenya

Inroduction Maternal perceptions of indigenous foods and dietary diversity are crucial in shaping infant nutrition and preserving cultural food practices. Addressing these perspectives is vital to overcoming local nutritional challenges. This study investigated mothers’ perception on indigenous foods and their inclusion in the diets of infants aged 6 to 23 months in Kitui County, Kenya. Study also, examined the association between infants’ dietary diversity and maternal perceptions on indigenous foods. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 402 infant-mother pairs were enrolled. Dietary diversity was assessed using a dietary diversity questionnaire. Mothers provided insights into their perceptions regarding indigenous foods. Results and discussion The average dietary diversity score for the infants was low at 2.47 ± 0.02, with only 30.3% consuming more than four food groups in the past 24 h. About 36.6% of mothers reported that their infants accepted/liked indigenous foods whereas 94.5% considered them expensive, 59.2% perceived them as nutritious/health. Additionally, only 4.7 and 17.4% of mothers indicated that indigenous foods were readily available and easy to prepare, respectively. Dietary diversity was significantly associated with infant acceptance of indigenous food ( p = 0.021), perceived nutrition/health benefit ( p < 0.001), availability ( p = 0.016) and ease of preparation ( p < 0.001). Key predictors of indigenous food consumption included infants’ acceptance of the foods, affordability, perceived nutritional benefits, availability, and ease of preparation. Multi-level interventions targeting food production, intrahousehold food security, and maternal nutrition behaviors, such as providing appropriate recipes, cooking training, and demonstrations, could promote the consumption of nutrient-rich indigenous foods. Enhancing the accessibility and availability of these foods is crucial. This can be achieved by supplying quality seeds, climate-resilient livestock breeds, essential farm inputs, water harvesting technologies, and providing extension support services. These measures could bolster indigenous food production and intake, thereby improving infant nutrition.