Abstract
Background: Feeding practices determine the nutritional staus of infants. Infant and young child feeding practices include appropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. The impact of complementary feeding in the form of proper timing, quantity and quality of food on nutritional status is a matter of study in many research works. But nutrional stautus not only depends on type and amount of food but also on how its fed. Responsive feeding which includes encouraging the chlild to feed himself or herself also improves nutritional status. Objective: To assess the impact of self-feeding practice on nutritional status of children. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was done between December 2015 to January 2016 on 200 infants between 9 months to 1 year in field practice area of Sri Siddhartha Medical College Tumkur. Results: Of the 200 infants who were studied, self feeding was initiated early (8 to 10 months) in 158 infants and late (after 10 months) in 42. The prevalence of stunting was significantly less in early self-feeding group (18.98%) compared to late self-feeding group (47.14%) with P value of <0.001. The prevalence of wasting was also found to be significantly less in early self-feeding group (37.9 %) compared to late self-feeding group (66.66%) with P value of <0.001. Conclusion: There is a significant association between early self-feeding practices and better nutritional status of infants.
Highlights
It has long been recognized that the period from birth to two years of age is a “critical window” for the promotion of optimal growth, health and behavioural development
Data on feeding practices was collected by interviewing mothers on a pre-tested semi-structured schedule after due consent. These children were examined and their nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry
The children were divided in to two groups based on when self feeding was initiated, a) early self feeding group, b) late self feeding group
Summary
It has long been recognized that the period from birth to two years of age is a “critical window” for the promotion of optimal growth, health and behavioural development. Guidelines for infant-feeding practices in developing countries to date have focused primarily on their relationship to child malnutrition [5, 6]. The impact of complementary feeding in the form of proper timing, quantity and quality of food on nutritional status is a matter of study in many research works. Objective: To assess the impact of self-feeding practice on nutritional status of children. Results: Of the 200 infants who were studied, self feeding was initiated early (8 to 10 months) in 158 infants and late (after 10 months) in 42. The prevalence of stunting was significantly less in early selffeeding group (18.98%) compared to late self-feeding group (47.14%) with P value of
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