Household Dietary Diversity Score
Also known as: HDDS, Dietary Diversity Score
The HDDS is a simple, 12-item food group checklist that captures the diversity of the household diet in the preceding 24 hours. Developed by the FAO in 2011 as a proxy indicator of dietary quality and nutrient adequacy, the HDDS enables rapid assessment of the nutritional vulnerability of households in resource-limited settings. A household with access to foods from many groups is more likely to consume adequate calories, protein, and micronutrients.
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When to use it
The HDDS is appropriate for monitoring household food security and nutrition vulnerability in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in household surveys, program evaluations, and emergency assessments. Use as a rapid screening tool to identify households at nutritional risk when detailed dietary intake data are not feasible. Suitable for children aged 6 months and older and for measuring household-level dietary quality (not individual intake). Especially valuable in settings where literacy is limited or respondent burden must be minimized. Commonly paired with food insecurity and food consumption frequency measures to triangulate nutrition vulnerability.
Strengths & limitations
- Simple, rapid administration (10–15 minutes); feasible for large-scale household surveys without specialized nutrition training.
- Does not require literacy; yes/no checklist format accessible to most respondents.
- Validated in multiple settings; correlates with caloric intake, protein adequacy, and micronutrient diversity.
- Captures household-level food access; relevant for population-level surveillance and program targeting.
- Low cost; requires only pencil, paper, and short training; no special equipment or laboratory tests.
- Predictive of nutritional outcomes; HDDS ≥4 associated with reduced risk of child and maternal malnutrition.
- Measures diversity at household level, not individual consumption; does not capture intra-household food distribution or individual intake.
- 24-hour recall subject to recall bias, particularly in complex households or when informant is not present for all meals.
- Does not quantify portion sizes or frequency of consumption; two households with identical HDDS may have very different total energy intake.
- Food group definitions may require local adaptation; seasonal availability and cultural food practices necessitate contextualization.
- Does not distinguish between purchased, produced, foraged, or gifted foods; no information on food safety or quality.
- Cannot be used for individual dietary assessment or micronutrient analysis; group-level indicator only.
Frequently asked
What is the minimum and maximum HDDS score, and how do I interpret a score of 3 versus 6?
Minimum score is 0 (no food groups consumed) and maximum is 12 (all food groups consumed). Score 3 indicates consumption from only 3 food groups and is typically classified as low dietary diversity, suggesting elevated malnutrition risk. Score 6 indicates consumption from 6 food groups and exceeds the common threshold of 4, suggesting adequate dietary diversity and lower nutrition risk. The difference of 3 groups represents substantially improved dietary variety and likely better micronutrient adequacy.
Should I count foods eaten outside the home in the HDDS recall?
Yes. The HDDS captures any foods consumed by household members in the past 24 hours, regardless of location (home-prepared, restaurant, street food, school meals, etc.). Include all food sources to obtain an accurate picture of total household dietary diversity. Document the source if possible, as this provides additional information on food system engagement.
How does the 24-hour HDDS differ from a 7-day dietary diversity recall?
The 24-hour HDDS is the standard FAO version; it captures foods consumed in the single day prior to interview. A 7-day recall extends the window to capture habitual weekly patterns and smooths day-to-day variation, but requires longer recall and is more prone to error. The 24-hour version is preferred for rapid assessment and large surveys. Use the 7-day version only if program design specifically requires assessment of usual weekly patterns.
Can HDDS be used for individual assessment, or only households?
Standard HDDS is a household-level measure. For individual dietary diversity, the FAO offers the Individual Dietary Diversity Score (IDDS), which measures the count of food groups consumed by a single person in the past 24 hours. IDDS uses a similar 12-group framework but asks specifically about the individual's intake, not household aggregate. Use HDDS for household food access and IDDS for individual nutritional assessment.
Sources
- Kennedy, G., Ballard, T., & Dop, M. C. (2011). Guidelines for measuring household and individual dietary diversity. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Household Dietary Diversity Score. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/public-health-nutrition/household-dietary-diversity-score
Which method?
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