Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
An epidemiological study of the determinants and patterns of complementary feeding practices among children of 6-24
Ashwini Yadav1, Shalini Rawat2, Shruti Shastri3
1WHO NTEP, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Insights
Complementary feeding practices significantly impact child nutrition. Maternal education and healthcare advice are key determinants, though direct links to malnutrition were not statistically significant in this study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Complementary feeding is crucial for child nutrition during the first two years of life.
- Understanding feeding patterns and their determinants is vital for child growth and development.
- This study focuses on children aged 6-24 months.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify determinants of complementary feeding practices.
- To analyze patterns of complementary feeding.
- To assess the impact of these practices on child growth and development.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted.
- Data was collected from 250 children at an immunization outpatient department using systematic random sampling.
- Logistic regression was used to analyze associations.
Main Results:
- 42.8% received optimal food amount, 41.2% adequate frequency, and 78.0% appropriate consistency.
- Maternal education, father's age, family size, healthcare advice, and bottle feeding were significant determinants (P<0.05).
- No significant association was found between feeding practices and anthropometric status or malnutrition.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare worker advice positively impacts complementary feeding practices (P<0.01).
- No statistically significant difference in feeding patterns between normal and malnourished children was observed.
- Further research may be needed to explore the complex relationship between feeding practices and nutritional outcomes.
Background:
The introduction of complementary food is the most important factor determining the nutritional status of the children in the first 2 years of life. This study aimed to find out the determinants and patterns of complementary feeding practices and their impact on the growth and development of children of 6-24 months of age group. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done on immunization out patient department (OPD) in the field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine. The sample size taken was 250 using a systematic random sampling method.
Results:
One hundred and seven (42.8%) were given the optimum amount of complementary food for their age. One hundred and three (41.2%) were fed with an adequate frequency for their age. One hundred and ninety-five (78.0%) were given food that was appropriate in consistency for their age. Among 183 (73.2%) children who were not fed appropriately during and after their illness episodes, 119 (65.0%) were malnourished. On using logistic regression it was seen that the variables which had statistically significant association with the complementary feeding patterns (P<0.05) were maternal education, father's age, total members in the family, advice on complementary feeding from health care workers and use of bottle for feeding. Father's education, availability of ration card, antenatal counselling on childcare, birth order and history of repeated illness in the past did not show statistically significant association with complementary feeding practices (P>0.05).
Conclusion:
There was no statistically significant difference between the feeding patterns of normal and malnourished children. The association of complementary feeding practices and the anthropometric status of study children was not found statistically significant in the present study. Advice on complementary feeding from healthcare workers is seen to be having a positive impact on complementary feeding practices (P < 0.01).
Related Concept Videos
01:20Study Designs in Epidemiology
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and...
01:26Introduction to Epidemiology
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:21Causality in Epidemiology