Wild foods contribute to higher dietary diversity in India

Abstract Wild foods, from forests and common lands, can contribute to food and nutrition security. Previous studies have established correlations between forests and dietary diversity. We use matching, a rigorous, quasi-experimental method, and monthly-interval data to assess the contribution of wild foods to women’s diets. We collected 24-hour recall data from 570 households monthly from November 2016 to November 2017 in two districts in East India. We found that wild foods contributed positively to diets, especially in June and July when consumption of wild foods was highest. Women who consumed wild foods had higher average dietary diversity scores (12 and 15% higher in June and July, respectively) and were more likely to consume nutrient-dense, dark green leafy vegetables, than women who did not eat wild foods. Our results show that access to wild foods is critical to addressing undernutrition in rural India.