Abstract
Although the predictors of the timely initiation of complementary feeding are well-known elsewhere, there is less awareness of the topic in Nepal. The current study was undertaken to identify the correlates of timely initiation of complementary feeding among children aged 6–23 months. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Rupandehi district, Nepal. A total of 155 mother-child pairs were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders was employed to examine the independent association between risk factors and the timely initiation of complementary feeding. Fewer than 3 in 5 children aged 6–23 months received complementary feeding at the recommended time. Literate mothers and a maternal occupation in the service or business sectors were found to be associated with complementary feeding at 6 months. In addition, child characteristics such as birth order, male children, and those fed micronutrients were also more likely to have been received complementary feeding at 6 months than their counterparts. Maternal education and occupation, and child characteristics such as, birth order, male gender, and micronutrient consumption, which are correlates of the timely initiation of complementary feeding, suggest that the Nepalese Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) programme should target these predictors while designing preventive strategies.
Highlights
Malnutrition is a major public health problem
Association between maternal socio-demographic characteristics, health-related characteristics, and timing of complementary feeding by univariate analysis has demonstrated that maternal characteristics such as education and occupation, and health-related characteristics such as birth order of children, sex, birth weight, and children who were fed with micronutrients, were significantly associated with receiving complementary feeding at 6 months (p < 0.05)
We explored some of the specific gaps in meeting the timely initiation of complementary feeding among children aged 6–23 months as per the newly established criteria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)
Summary
Malnutrition is a major public health problem. Reported that 462 million children were underweight, 52 million children below 5 years of age were low weight for their height, and 155 million children were stunted. 45% of deaths among children below 5 years of age, and most deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries [1]. In Nepal, an estimated 27%, 36%, and 10% of children aged
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