Abstract
The main aim of the study was to assess feeding practices and nutritional status of children under five years. The study also examined caregivers’ adherence to the WHO breastfeeding and introduction of solid foods and semi-solid foods at six months guidelines and the nutritional status of children under five years in the Northern Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey with cross sectional design was employed with the use of multi stage sampling technique at Child Welfare Clinics to obtain 495 caregivers-child pairs for the study. A structured questionnaire was employed to obtain the primary data and charts, tables, texts were employed to present the primary data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in analysing data and the results presented in charts and tables. Overall, 25.3% of 495 infants had been exclusively breastfed for 6 months. There was a significant relationship between caregivers educational level and adherence to breastfeeding guidelines (P=0.004). From the results, 30.7% of the children were underweight, 20.2% of them being wasted and 43.0% and 8.7% respectively being stunted and overweight. Intensive health education by health workers should be done to improve good nutrition in the study areas. Keywords: Caregivers , Adherence, Breastfeeding, Guidelines and Nutrition DOI : 10.7176/FSQM/86-08 Publication date : April 30 th 2019
Highlights
Inappropriate feeding practices during the first five years of life are a major cause of malnutrition in young children
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS This section presents findings and discussions of analysis of survey data obtained from the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality and Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District of the Northern Region of Ghana
These clusters were; Savelugu, (24.2%), Nanton, (8.5%), Pong-Tamale, (10.3%), Diare, (9.3%), Tampiong, (6.7%), Bunkpurugu, (11.5%), Binde, (13.1%), Nakpanduri, (6.9%), Nasuan, (5.7%), and Yunyoo, (3.8%). These clusters where selected from two districts in the Northern Region namely; Savelugu/Nanton made up of (54.5%) study participants and Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo made up of (45.5%) respondents
Summary
Inappropriate feeding practices during the first five years of life are a major cause of malnutrition in young children. Growth faltering and nutritional deficiencies continue to be highly prevalent in infants and young children living in low and middle income countries (UNICEF, 2014). The WHO and UNICEF global strategy for infant and young child feeding articulates the need to focus attention on the effects of feeding practices on child growth (WHO, 2014). These feeding recommendations were based on evidence available in the published literature, the effects of following these recommended infant feeding practices (IFPs) on growth during infancy and early childhood have not been adequately studied ( WHO, 2014)
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