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Household Dietary Diversity, Wild Edible Plants, And Diarrhea Among Rural Households In Tanzania, Lorraine Cordeiro

Lorraine Cordeiro

Communities in Tanzania have an extensive history of using wildplants for nutritional and medicinal purposes. The high prevalence of food insecurity and infectious disease, combined with a lack of access to healthcarein rural areas, makes traditional plant sources of food and medical treatment a practical alternative for vulnerable households. In this study, the association between household consumption of wild edible plants and self-reported diarrhea across categories of household food security status was examined. Focus group discussions in four villages in Kilosa, Tanzania, were used to elicit coping strategies, including consumption of wild edible plants, employed during periods of food shortage. …