Food choice and diet quality of women-led fishing households in Tanzania

Abstract

The paper analyzed food choices and dietary diversity among 282 women-headed households engaged in small-scale fisheries in Tanzania, using secondary data from the 2021 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) fisheries survey. Dietary quality was measured using the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) from a 24-hour recall, and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified underlying dietary patterns. The results show that diets are dominated by staple foods and fish, with limited consumption of nutrient-dense foods such as eggs, dairy, and poultry. HDDS indicates a polarized distribution of dietary diversity, reflecting inequality in food access across households. PCA reveals distinct dietary regimes, including staple-based and fish-dependent patterns, alongside emerging consumption of processed foods. Policy interventions should prioritize improving market access, supporting diversification into nutrient-rich foods, and strengthening local food systems. In addition, enhancing women’s access to productive resources and income-stabilizing mechanisms is critical for improving dietary outcomes.