To explore multiple methods of calculating diet diversity scores (DDS) to maximize associations with predicted dietary micronutrient adequacy among schoolchildren in rural Kenya.

Up to three 24 h recall interviews were administered for each child for a total of 1544 d of intake from all schoolchildren. Daily amounts of food consumed were assigned to one of eight food groups. Five DDS were developed based on various minimum intake amounts from each food group: (i) 1 g; (ii) 15 g; (iii) a variable minimum based on the content of a target nutrient for each group; (iv) the median intake level for each group; and (v) the 90th percentile intake level for each group. A diet was assigned 1 point towards the daily DDS if the food group intake was above the defined minimum level. Five scores were calculated for each child, and bivariate longitudinal random-effects models were used to assess the correlation between each DDS and the mean probability of adequacy for fourteen nutrients.

Embu District, Kenya.

Schoolchildren (n 529), mean age 7·00 (sd 1·41) years.

Only DDS based on a 15 g minimum and DDS based on nutrient content were significantly associated with mean probability of adequacy after adjusting for energy intake (0·21 and 0·41, respectively).

A DDS using minimum intakes based on nutrients contributed by a food group best predicted nutrient adequacy in this population. These analyses contribute to the continued search for simpler and more valid dietary quality indicators among low-income nations.