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Prevalence and determinants of meeting minimum meal frequency among children aged 6-23 months in Rwanda: a
Absolomon Gashaija1,2, Marie Josée Mwiseneza3, Candide Girimpundu Mugeni3
1Centre for Impact, Innovation and Capacity Building for Health Information Systems and Nutrition (CIIC-HIN), Kigali, Rwanda.
Introduction:
Inadequate minimum meal frequency (MMF) contributes to malnutrition among infants and young children, increasing the risk of stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, impaired cognitive development and higher morbidity and mortality. In Rwanda, limited data exist on the prevalence and determinants of meeting MMF among children aged 6-23 months. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of meeting MMF in this population.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the 2019-2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey, comprising 1203 children aged 6-23 months. The main outcome was meeting MMF, defined according to WHO guidelines as receiving the minimum recommended number of meals per day, based on age and breastfeeding status. Bivariate analysis using χ² tests and binary logistic regression was conducted to determine the determinants of meeting MMF. Variables with a p<0.05 were included in a multivariable logistic regression model.
Results:
The prevalence of meeting MMF was 46.1%. Four factors were independently associated with meeting MMF. Children from the poorest households had 70% lower odds of meeting MMF (adjusted OR (AOR)=0.298, 95% CI 0.124 to 0.717). Children whose mothers earned less than their husbands had 53% lower odds of meeting MMF (AOR=0.466, 95% CI 0.235 to 0.924). Children who experienced recent diarrhoeal illness had 57% lower odds of meeting MMF (AOR=0.434, 95% CI 0.267 to 0.706). Additionally, lack of postnatal care visits was associated with 45% lower odds of meeting MMF (AOR=0.551, 95% CI 0.328 to 0.926, p=0.024).
Conclusions:
The study revealed that less than half (46.1%) of the Rwandan children aged 6-23 months met the MMF requirement. Key factors negatively associated included household poverty, maternal income inequality, recent diarrhoeal diseases and lack of postnatal care visits. These findings underscore the need for integrated socioeconomic and healthcare interventions.