Diet quality and anthropometric parameter of in-school female adolescents in Ogun State, Nigeria: Descriptive Cross Sectional Study

Background Adolescence is a critical period for establishing dietary patterns that influence growth, body composition, and long-term risk of non-communicable diseases. In Nigeria, limited population-based evidence exists on diet quality and its relationship with anthropometric status among female adolescents, particularly using standardized global diet quality indicators. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 in-school female adolescents aged 13–17 years in public and private secondary schools in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State. Dietary intake was assessed using the Dietary Quality Questionnaire for Nigeria, generating Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), NCD-Protect, NCD-Risk, Global Dietary Recommendation (GDR) score, and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W). Anthropometric indices were obtained using standardized procedures, and BMI-for-age and height-for-age z-scores were computed with WHO AnthroPlus. Independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Results Approximately 60.7% of participants met the MDD-W threshold. Staple foods were widely consumed, whereas intake of fruits, vegetables, pulses, and nuts remained suboptimal. High consumption of baked sweets, deep-fried foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages was observed. The mean DDS and GDR scores were modest, with public school adolescents exhibiting significantly higher GDR scores than private school counterparts (p = 0.011). DDS was positively correlated with GDR (r = 0.279, p < 0.05). Anthropometrically, 80.0% had normal BMI-for-age, 15.9% were thin, and 4.1% were overweight or obese, indicating a double burden of malnutrition. No significant association was found between diet quality indicators and BMI-for-age z-scores. Conclusion Female adolescents in Ogun State exhibit moderate dietary diversity alongside high exposure to NCD-risk foods and a coexisting burden of thinness and emerging overweight. School-based nutrition policies and food-environment interventions are urgently needed to improve diet quality during this critical life stage.