LAUSR

Objectives Iron and iodine deficiencies are among the most common form of nutritional deficiencies globally. Iron and iodine deficiencies lead to detrimental effects on fetus, infant, and maternal health. In developing countries attentions to the problem have been given to fortifications, supplementations, and clinical investigations rather than preventive dietary approaches and screening. We aimed to test the hypotheses that dietary diversity score (DDS) and dietary patterns (DP) predict the risk of iron and iodine deficiencies in mothers (15-49 yr, n = 118) and their toddlers (6-23 mo, n = 121) in a cross sectional-study during lean/dry season in northern Ghana. Methods We aimed to test the hypotheses that dietary diversity score (DDS) and dietary patterns (DP) predict the risk of iron and iodine deficiencies in mothers (15-49 yr, n = 118) and their toddlers (6-23 mo, n = 121) in a cross sectional-study during lean/dry season in northern Ghana. Results We found that risk of iron and iodine deficiencies were predicted by DDS and DP. Compared to DDS ≥4, DDS <4 have higher odds of iron deficiency (AOR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.02-10.09; P = 0.0466) and iodine deficiency (AOR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.02-0.76; P = 0.0360). Of two dietary patterns emerged, DP 1 ("rural elites diet") predicted iron deficiency risk in mothers (AOR: 8.65, 95% CI: 1.76-42.39; P = 0.0287), DP 2 ("indigenous diet") predicted iodine deficiency risk (AOR: 11.41; 95% CI: 1.36-95.97; P = 0.0406) in mothers but not in toddlers. Conclusions In summary, risk of iron and iodine deficiencies in mothers-toddlers could be screened by DDS and DP in northern Ghana during dry/lean season. Funding Sources BHEARD.