Abstract
BackgroundChild undernutrition and poor feeding practices remain a concern in Ghana. The Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) programme seeks to empower mothers to provide appropriate child care. Although the program has been implemented in Ghana for over four decades, little is known about its impact on child feeding outcomes. The current study assessed the association between GMP exposure and mothers' child feeding knowledge and practices in the Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA), Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 199 mother-child pairs accessing child welfare services in six public health facilities in the AMA was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on respondent characteristics and child feeding knowledge; a 24-hour dietary recall tool was used to record child feeding practices. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the association between mothers' exposure to GMP and their knowledge and practices on child feeding.ResultsSeventy four percent of mothers had not missed any scheduled child welfare clinic sessions. Over 60% of mothers knew the appropriate age of introduction of foods; 86% also gave correct response regarding minimum number of times their child should be fed daily. About 81% of children less than 6 months were exclusively breastfed in the preceding 24 hours, although 36% had received water since birth. Forty two percent of children 6–23 months received dietary diverse meals while 64% were fed the required number of times in a day. Overall, only 32% of children 6–23 months received a minimum acceptable diet in the preceding 24 hours. A higher GMP exposure was positively associated with feeding knowledge scores among mothers with children below 6 months (p < 0.05).ConclusionAlthough most mothers were knowledgeable about recommendations, feeding practices were suboptimal, especially complementary feeding. GMP exposure was associated with feeding knowledge only among mothers with children less than 6 months. Strengthening of feeding counselling focused on children above 6 months is recommended.
Highlights
Child undernutrition and poor feeding practices remain a concern in Ghana
The current study assessed the association between Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) exposure and mothers' knowledge and practices on the feeding of their young children under two years in the Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana
The study assessed the feeding knowledge and practices among mothers participating in GMP and investigated the association between GMP exposure and mothers' child feeding knowledge and practices
Summary
Child undernutrition and poor feeding practices remain a concern in Ghana. An estimated 35% of global under-five deaths, and 50-70% of diarrhoeal diseases, measles, malaria and lower respiratory infections in developing countries are attributable to child undernutrition [1,2]. Undernourished children are prone to poor mental, physical and physiological development, and are at increased risk of infections and death. Undernutrition is often common in poor-resource countries where appropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding (CF) practices are suboptimal [5,6,7,8]. In Ghana, only 46% of children below six months are exclusively breastfed. In the GAR of Ghana, only 21.1% of children between 0-5 months were exclusively breastfed, being the lowest rate recorded in the country.
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