Addressing child undernutrition in Tanzania with the ASTUTE program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Optimal infant and young child feeding practices (IYCFP) are crucial for preventing childhood stunting and promoting health.
• Tanzania faces a significant challenge with 32% of children under five years stunted, indicating suboptimal IYCFP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between behavior change communication (BCC) interventions and improved IYCFP in Tanzania.
• To assess the impact of BCC on key infant and young child feeding indicators.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey involving approximately 10,000 households with children under two years was conducted at baseline and endline.
• Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were employed to analyze the relationship between BCC exposure and IYCFP outcomes.

Main Results:

• Mothers exposed to radio spots on IYCFP were more likely to initiate complementary foods at six months and achieve minimum meal frequency (MMF), minimum dietary diversity (MDD), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD).
• Exposure to TV spots on IYCFP was associated with increased likelihood of knowing when to start complementary feeding, feeding a minimally diverse diet, and serving a minimum acceptable diet.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to BCC in Tanzania was linked to enhanced knowledge and practice of optimal IYCFP.
• BCC campaigns represent a valuable strategy for reducing undernutrition and improving health outcomes in developing countries.