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Determinants of suboptimal complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months in seven francophone West
Abukari I Issaka1, Kingsley E Agho2, Andrew N Page2
1School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
Insights
Suboptimal complementary feeding is common in West Africa, affecting children aged 6-23 months. Key factors include young child age, rural living, and limited maternal access to media or health services.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Child Development
Background:
- Suboptimal complementary feeding practices significantly impact child health and development.
- Identifying associated factors is crucial for effective nutritional interventions in vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with suboptimal complementary feeding practices.
- Focus on children aged 6-23 months in seven francophone West African countries.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys.
- Analyzed individual, household, and community-level factors for 22,376 children.
- Employed multivariate analysis to examine complementary feeding indicators.
Main Results:
- Youngest children (6-11 months) were more likely to have suboptimal feeding.
- Factors associated with suboptimal practices included: rural residence, poor households, and non-working mothers.
- Limited maternal access to mass media and lack of health facility contact were also significant factors.
Conclusions:
- Broader social, cultural, and economic determinants must be addressed in child nutrition programs.
- Interventions should consider maternal factors like media access and healthcare engagement.
- Targeted strategies are needed for the youngest age group and disadvantaged households.
Abstract:
Suboptimal complementary feeding practices play a crucial role in the health and development of children. The objective of this research paper was to identify factors associated with suboptimal complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months in seven francophone West African countries, namely, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal. This study covered 22 376 children aged 6-23 months from the seven countries surveyed (Benin: 3732 children; Burkina Faso: 4205 children; Cote d'Ivoire: 2109 children, Guinea: 1944 children, Mali: 3798 children, Niger: 3451 children and Senegal: 3137 children). The most recent Demographic and Health Survey datasets of the various countries were used as data sources. A set of individual-, household- and community-level factors were used to examine the four complementary feeding indicators. Multivariate analysis revealed that the youngest age bracket (6-11 months) of children, administrative/geographical region, mother's limited or non-access to the mass media, mothers' lack of contact with a health facility, rural residence, poor households and non-working mothers were the main factors associated with suboptimal complementary feeding in the countries surveyed. Our findings highlight the need to consider broader social, cultural and economic factors when designing child nutritional interventions.
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