UN Statistical Commission adopts new global indicator to measure diverse diets

The new indicator was formally adopted at the 56th session of the UN Statistical Commission in New York.

The introduction of minimum dietary diversity into the SDG indicators is one of the major changes that the Commission has made to these indicators during its comprehensive review in 2025 – the second and final such review in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The importance of a varied diet

Variety – or variety of food sources – is the foundation of a healthy diet. A quality diet is essential to avoid nutritional problems and to support health, growth, development and well-being. The new methodologically validated indicator for a varied diet will be measured in two groups: children (MDD-C indicator) and women of childbearing age (MDD-W indicator). UNICEF will be responsible for monitoring the former, while FAO will be responsible for monitoring the latter. The indicator for women, developed by FAO with partners, is a simple, decision-based indicator that looks at the proportion of women aged 15 to 49 who consumed at least five of a list of ten food staples in the previous 24 hours.

The list of 10 food staples is as follows: grains, root vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), seeds, milk and dairy products, meat and fish, eggs, leafy vegetables, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A, other vegetables, and other fruits.