Diet diversity

Dietary diversity services include a variety of different food groups. We use dietary diversity and dietary variety interchangeably balanced diet. Dietary variety has focused on the actual food items people intake. Dietary diversity is related to nutrient intake and is also an indicator of dietary quality. Dietary diversity associated with health outcomes. Dietary diversity is influenced by various determinants such as physical and mental health, economic status, or food environment.

Dietary diversity is one dimension of diet quality. Diverse diets can still lack macronutrient balance and/or moderation, which are other dimensions of diet quality. Diets lack balance when they are too high or too low in fat, protein, or carbohydrate. Diets lack moderation when they include excessive consumption of energy (calories), salt, or free sugars. Food group diversity does not ensure balance or moderation. Food group diversity also does not in itself ensure that the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats consumed are of high quality. Dietary diversity is, however, associated with better micronutrient density (micronutrients per 100 calories) and micronutrient adequacy of diets.