Determinants of minimum meal frequency among children in Kumbungu District of Ghana: a cross-sectional study

Child malnutrition is a public health concern in developing countries including Ghana. Ensuring a child's minimum meal frequency is met is critical for preventing malnutrition and improving nutrient intake. However, minimum meal frequency and its context-specific determinants among children in the Kumbungu District of Ghana are yet to be investigated. This study therefore examined minimum meal frequency and its determinants among children aged 6 to 23 months in Kumbungu District, Ghana.

An analytical cross-sectional study design was used and involved 395 mother-child pairs selected through systematic random sampling. A semi- structured questionnaire was used to obtain respondents' socio-demographic characteristics, maternal nutritional knowledge and feeding practices and anthropometric information of children. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the determinants of minimum meal frequency.

Of the 395 children studied, about 51.4% of them were females, with about 25.8% and 74.2% of them aged 6-8 months and 9-23 months respectively. About 72.4% of the children met the minimum meal frequency. Children aged 9-23 months were 3.48 times more likely to meet the minimum meal frequency as compared to children aged 6-8 months [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.48, 95% CI: 1. 33-9.03, p = 0.011]. Moreover, children who met the minimum dietary diversity were 46.32 times more likely to achieve the minimum meal frequency as compared to those who did not meet the minimum dietary diversity [AOR: 46.32, 95% CI: 17.78-120.64, p < 0.001].

The proportion of children who received minimum meal frequency was high. Child age and minimum dietary diversity were significant determinants of minimum meal frequency. To achieve optimal minimum meal frequency for all children, mothers should be encouraged to practice age appropriate meal frequency, particularly, those with children aged 6-8 months as well as feed their children diversified diets.