Abstract
Introduction: Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are fundamental for the survival, health, growth, and development of children. It is important to study factors that determine these practices in a community. The present study is designed to assess the prevalence of optimal IYCF practices and its determinants in an urbanized village of Delhi. Materials and Methods: Mothers of children 0-23 months of age were interviewed using a structured and semi open-ended questionnaire to record information on IYCF practices. Results: A total of 194 children were included in the study. Breastfeeding (BF) was initiated within 1 h of birth in 49.5% of children. Early initiation of BF was significantly higher in children born in government institutions, normal births and in families with higher income. Prelacteal feeds were given by 47.4% of mothers, children born at home and private institution and caesarean births received prelacteal feeds more often. Colostrum was given by 79.4% of the mothers. Children born in the government institution were more likely to receive colostrum ( P P Conclusions: The IYCF practices in the area were not satisfactory, although better than the national average. Early initiation and EBF for 6 months were higher in children born in government institutions. Thus, awareness about IYCF practices has to be increased among the health personnel in the public and private sectors and mothers.
Highlights
India has shown a decline in the under-five child mortality indicators, but the rates are not sufficient to achieve the Millennium Development Goal 4 by 2015.[1,2] India is home to almost one-third of world’s underweight children with an estimated prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting being 40%, 45%, and 23% respectively among under-three children.[3]
The present study was conducted in an urbanized village of Delhi to study the infant and young child practices
Initiation of BF was done within 1h in 49.5% of the children. This is comparable to the figure of 41% for India reported in World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative, 44% for Delhi reported in Coverage Evaluation Survey (CES) 2009 by UNICEF and district-level household and facility survey (DLHS)-3 (2007-2008).[9,12,13]
Summary
India has shown a decline in the under-five child mortality indicators, but the rates are not sufficient to achieve the Millennium Development Goal 4 by 2015.[1,2] India is home to almost one-third of world’s underweight children with an estimated prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting being 40%, 45%, and 23% respectively among under-three children.[3]. Evidence has proven that optimal breastfeeding (BF) and complementary feeding are among the most cost-effective child survival interventions that could prevent 13% and 6%, respectively, of under-five child deaths.[4,5,6]. To revitalize world attention to the impact that feeding practices have on the nutritional status, growth, development, health, and survival of infants and young children, the global strategy for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) was adopted by the World Health Organization and UNICEF in 2002.[7] The national guidelines on IYCF were developed in 2006 to give further impetus to optimal IYCF practices.[8] Data from the national family health survey 3 (NFHS-3), district-level household and facility survey (DLHS) and studies on infant feeding practices show that the rates of these continue to remain low.[3,9,10,11] Infant and child feeding in a community is influenced by various factors at the individual, family, and community level. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of IYCF practices in an urbanized village of East Delhi and the determinants of these practices
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