How to Calculate Dietary Diversity Score for Better Nutrition

December 14, 2025 •

3 min read

Research has shown that a more diversified diet is associated with improved health outcomes and increased micronutrient adequacy. Calculating your dietary diversity score (DDS) is a simple, cost-effective way to measure the nutritional quality of your food intake by counting the different food groups you consume.

Quick Summary

A dietary diversity score (DDS) is a count of food groups consumed over a specific recall period, typically 24 hours. It is used as a rapid proxy measure for diet quality and micronutrient adequacy, reflecting the variety of a person's diet.

Key Points

Definition: Dietary diversity is the consumption of a wide variety of food groups over a set period, typically 24 hours.
Measurement Tool: The DDS is a simple and cost-effective tool used as a proxy for diet quality and micronutrient adequacy.
Core Method: Calculation is typically based on a 24-hour recall, where you list and categorize all food and beverages consumed.
Food Groups: Standardized food group lists, like those from the FAO and WHO, are used to ensure consistency in scoring across individuals and populations.
Key Difference: HDDS measures household access to diverse foods, while IDDS measures individual dietary intake and is a better indicator for personal nutrient adequacy.
Interpretation: Higher DDS generally correlates with better health outcomes and increased nutrient intake, but context is important for interpretation.
Improvement: Improving your score involves consciously adding food items from different groups to increase dietary variety.

What is Dietary Diversity?

Dietary diversity involves consuming a wide variety of foods from different food groups. This is fundamental for a healthy diet, as various food groups supply essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. A high DDS is frequently used as an indicator of a diet's nutritional adequacy, especially concerning micronutrients. A higher score means more food groups were consumed, increasing the likelihood of a comprehensive nutrient intake.

The Standard 24-Hour Recall Method

The most common technique for determining DDS is the 24-hour recall. This involves asking individuals to list everything they ate and drank during the previous day. This method is quick and straightforward, making it suitable for surveys and rapid assessments. Selecting a 'typical' day, free from special events, is important for accurate results. Trained staff often help in classifying foods into the correct groups, ensuring precision. You can use a similar, simplified approach for self-assessment.

Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Your DDS

Calculating your DDS is a simple way to see the variety in your diet. Use these steps:

Select a Recall Period: Pick a 24-hour timeframe (like yesterday's breakfast to today's breakfast) and list everything you ate and drank.
List All Items: Record every single food and drink item consumed, including meals, snacks, and beverages.
Categorize into Food Groups: Assign each item to a standard food group, such as those recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Count the Groups: Count the number of distinct food groups. Each food group only counts once, regardless of how many items from that group you ate.
Tally the Score: Your total count of unique food groups is your DDS for that day. Generally, a higher score suggests a more diverse and potentially more nutritious diet.

Standard Food Groups for Scoring

Organizations like the FAO and WHO provide standard food group lists for DDS calculation. A common list for women of reproductive age (MDD-W) includes 10 food groups; other metrics exist for different groups. Below is a set of food groups often used:

Grains, roots, and tubers
Legumes and nuts
Dairy
Flesh foods
Eggs
Vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables
Other fruits and vegetables
Oils and fats
Miscellaneous

A detailed list of food groups and examples can be found in {Link: WHO guidelines https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/7042}.

Household vs. Individual Dietary Diversity

Measuring dietary diversity can be done at the household or individual level. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) indicates a household's financial ability to access various foods. The Individual Dietary Diversity Score (IDDS), on the other hand, better represents an individual's nutrient adequacy.


Feature	Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS)	Individual Dietary Diversity Score (IDDS)
Unit of Measurement	The household	A specific individual
Primary Purpose	Measures household economic access to food	Assesses individual nutrient adequacy
Data Collection	Interview with the main food preparer	Interview with the target individual
What it reflects	Availability of varied foods within the household budget	Direct consumption of diverse food groups by a person
Limitations	Doesn't show food distribution within the household	Depends on recall accuracy; may vary seasonally

Interpreting and Improving Your Score

Interpreting your DDS requires considering the context. While there's no single target score, higher scores are generally better. A score covering most or all food groups is ideal. A low score suggests a need to boost the variety of food groups in your diet. To improve, try adding foods from groups you missed. For example, if you didn't eat fruit or eggs, include them the next day. Small changes can significantly improve nutrient intake over time.

Conclusion

Calculating dietary diversity is a useful step in understanding and enhancing your nutritional health. By using a simple recall method and standard food groups, you can gain insights into the variety and quality of your diet. This knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions for a more balanced and nutritious diet. While not a substitute for a full nutritional evaluation, DDS is an excellent, accessible tool for monitoring dietary habits and promoting better health through food. For further guidance on measuring dietary diversity, refer to resources like the {Link: World Health Organization (WHO) https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/7042}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The DDS is a measure of the number of different food groups consumed over a specific period, usually 24 hours. It provides a rapid, cost-effective estimate of the nutritional quality of a diet, particularly regarding micronutrient adequacy.

Standardized scoring systems, like those from the FAO and WHO, classify foods into groups such as grains, roots and tubers, legumes, dairy, flesh foods, eggs, vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables, and other fruits and vegetables.

To conduct an accurate 24-hour recall, you need to remember and list every food and beverage consumed over the previous day. It is helpful to recall meals and snacks in chronological order and mentally revisit different times of the day to avoid omissions.

HDDS measures the number of food groups consumed by the entire household, reflecting economic access to a varied diet. IDDS measures the score for a specific individual, which is a better proxy for that person's nutrient adequacy.

There is no universal 'good' score, as standards vary by scoring system and demographic. However, a higher score is generally associated with greater food variety and nutrient adequacy. A target of consuming at least 5 out of 8 specific food groups is sometimes used for specific demographics, like women and children.

For most standard DDS calculations, the quantity does not matter—any consumption of a food group counts as one point, as long as it's more than a condiment. Some advanced metrics, like the Dietary Serving Score (DSS), do incorporate portion sizes.

Dietary diversity is crucial because different food groups provide unique nutrients. A diverse diet ensures a wider intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and other compounds needed for proper bodily function, growth, and development.

Yes, FFQs can be used to calculate DDS over longer periods (e.g., a month), providing insights into more 'usual' eating patterns rather than just a single day. However, FFQs are more complex than the simple 24-hour recall.