INTRODUCTION:
In Southwest Nigeria, malnutrition persists as a significant public health concern, particularly among children.1 Eating diverse foods ensures that under-fives receive an adequate mix of macronutrients and essential micronutrients.2 This study’s objective was to assess dietary diversity among under-fives in a rural community in Southwest Nigeria.

METHODS:
This cross-sectional study involved 120 under-fives in Sagamu, Southwest Nigeria, using a multistage sampling method. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and analysis using IBM SPSS version 22.0. Dietary diversity was assessed through a 24-hour diet recall and was classified into low, medium and high. Relevant descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated, with results presented in tables. The significance level was set at a 95% confidence interval with p-value ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS:
Most under-fives were in the 13-24-month age group. There were more females (n=66, 55%) than males. The majority of under-fives were of Yoruba ethnicity. The most consumed food group was Cereals (n=115, 95.8%). The least consumed food group was organ meat (n=25, 20.8%) and milk (n=45, 37.5%). About 14.2% and 69.1% had high and medium dietary diversity, respectively. The mean dietary diversity score among respondents was 4.99±1.092. Maternal educational status was associated with dietary diversity, p=0.020.

CONCLUSIONS:
Dietary diversity among under-fives Sagamu, Southwest, was largely moderate, with notable gaps in the intake of nutrient-rich foods such as organ meats and milk. The significant association between maternal education and dietary diversity highlights the central role of mothers’ knowledge in shaping child feeding practices. Strengthening maternal nutrition education remains a priority for improving the quality of diets and reducing malnutrition among underfives in similar settings.