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Published on: June 20, 2020
Predictors of inappropriate complementary feeding practice among children aged 6 to 23 months in Wonago District,
Zerihun Berhanu1, Taddese Alemu2, Dirshaye Argaw2
1Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dilla University, PO Box- 419, Dilla, Ethiopia. zer.ber98@gmail.com.
Insights
Inappropriate complementary feeding practices in Ethiopia are linked to paternal decision-making, lack of health access, and unplanned pregnancies. Improving health service utilization and awareness is recommended to ensure optimal child growth and development.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Inappropriate complementary feeding practices pose significant risks to child health, growth, and development.
- A substantial global and national burden exists, yet predictors remain understudied in many regions.
- This study addresses the scarcity of research on complementary feeding predictors in Wonago district, South Ethiopia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predictors of inappropriate complementary feeding practices.
- To examine community-level factors associated with these practices.
- Focus on children aged 6-23 months in Wonago district, South Ethiopia.
Main Methods:
- Community-based unmatched case-control study.
- Inclusion of qualitative and dietary data.
- Stratified sampling of 372 children aged 6-23 months.
- Multivariable logistic regression analysis.
Main Results:
- Paternal decision-making, family elder priority, lack of nearby health facilities, unplanned pregnancy, and missed ANC/EPI services predicted inappropriate feeding.
- Community factors included lack of awareness, short birth spacing, poverty, and feeding culture.
- Nutrient density of complementary foods was below WHO recommendations, except for energy, protein, and vitamin C.
Conclusions:
- Inappropriate complementary feeding is associated with household feeding norms, health service access/utilization, and community factors.
- Complementary foods often lack adequate nutrient density as per WHO guidelines.
- Recommendations include promoting health service utilization and enhancing community awareness on proper complementary feeding.
Background:
Inappropriate complementary feeding practice could result in child illness, sub-optimal growth and development. Evidence shows a huge burden of inappropriate complementary feeding practice from global to national level. But studies regarding predictors of inappropriate complementary feeding practices were scarce especially in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine predictors and community level factors associated with inappropriate complementary feeding practice among children age 6 to 23 months in Wonago district, South Ethiopia.
Methods:
A community based unmatched case-control study design complemented by a qualitative and dietary data was employed among children in Wonago district from April- 07 to June- 06, 2017. A total of 372 study subjects were enrolled to the study by stratified sampling technique. Data were checked, coded and entered to Epi data and exported to SPSS for analysis. Univariate, bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions analyses were applied. A p- value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significant level.
Results:
Paternal household decision making on feeding(AOR = 4.65, 95% CI = (1.69, 12.81)), family priority to elders during feeding(AOR = 2.35, 95% CI = (1.08, 5.14)), absence of nearby health facility(AOR = 4.15, 95% CI = (1.63, 10.55)), unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 3.45, 95% CI = (1.21, 9.85)), missing ANC(AOR = 2.71, 95% CI = (1.48, 4.96)) and missing EPI service utilization (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI = (1.34, 4.38)) were independent predictors of inappropriate complementary feeding practices. Whereas; lack of awareness, short birth spacing practice, poverty and feeding culture were community related factors. The nutrient density of complementary foods were below WHO desired density level except for energy, protein and vitamin C.
Conclusions:
Inappropriate complementary feeding practice was related to household feeding cultures, health service access and utilization and community related factors like awareness, poverty and low birth spacing. Complementary foods were found to have lower nutrient density than desired by WHO. Promoting community's health service utilization and increasing awareness regarding complementary feeding were recommended.
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