Context: 

The United Nations Statistical Commission has adopted a new indicator on Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) to track progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which aims to achieve zero hunger by 2030. 

More on the news: 

• This new indicator is crucial for assessing the quality of diets and ensuring the focus is not only on calorie intake but on the nutritional value of food consumed.

About MDD Indicator: 

Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) measures the variety of foods consumed over a 24-hour period. The indicator tracks the intake of 10 food groups: 

1. Grains, White roots, tubers, and plantains

2. Pulses (beans, peas, and lentils)

3. Nuts and seeds

4. Milk and milk products

5. Meat, poultry, and fish

6. Eggs

7. Dark green leafy vegetables

8. Other vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables

9. Other fruits and 

10. Other vegetables

MDD helps track dietary diversity, which is crucial for ensuring good health, growth, and development. 

The focus is on achieving a healthy diet, which has been largely neglected in previous frameworks, despite its pivotal role in preventing non-communicable diseases and improving overall health.

Adoption and Review Process:

• The MDD indicator was adopted at the 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, held in New York from March 4 to March 7, 2025.
• The indicator adds to the nearly 250 indicators that are already monitored under the global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , which was adopted in 2017.
• The indicator was developed after a year-long review by a coalition of countries, international organizations, and agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Monitoring and Measurement:

• The MDD indicator will be jointly managed by FAO and UNICEF.
• It will be measured in two key populations: Children and Women of reproductive age.
• The indicator is a yes/no measure: whether individuals in these groups have consumed at least five of the ten defined food groups in the past 24 hours.
• The higher the proportion of people who reach above threshold, the higher the chance that women and children in the population consume diets that have sufficient vitamins and minerals.

Global Impact and Policy Implications:

• The MDD indicator provides a framework for countries to formulate evidence-based strategies to enhance nutrition and health outcomes through diet-related interventions.
• By focusing on the intake of a variety of nutritious foods, this indicator aims to combat micronutrient deficiencies, particularly among children and women of reproductive age.
• Integrating MDD into the SDG indicator framework will help countries benchmark progress on achieving healthy diets and nutrition security.
• It highlights the importance of dietary diversity as a central goal for food systems transformation, improving the chances of its inclusion in post-SDG-era monitoring.

Significance for India:

• India, with its large population of women and children, can greatly benefit from this indicator, as it helps address undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies that affect millions.
• The MDD framework will enable India to monitor the dietary diversity of vulnerable groups and ensure better policy interventions to combat malnutrition and improve public health outcomes.