MATERNAL NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND DETERMINANTS OF THE CHILD NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

This present study investigates the factors that affect child nutrition and the status of maternal Knowledge in the northern region of Bangladesh. For this purpose, this study employs a cross-sectional data survey of two divisions in the northern region of Bangladesh, namely Rangpur and Rajshahi, from which three districts were chosen from each division using a simple random sampling process. This survey collected data from 527 respondents with face-to-face direct interview method. The questionnaire is in the native language for their understanding. This study applies Weight for Age, Height for Age, Weight for Height, and Weight for Height for the nutritional status of children. This study uses bivariate logistic analysis for factor analysis and descriptive analysis for mothers' nutritional Knowledge. The result shows that sanitation, mothers' Employment, maternal nutritional Knowledge, wealth index, maternal educational status, and antenatal care are the key significant determinants of child nutritional status. In addition, this study also reveals that only 30% of the total respondents were aware of the child's nutritional status while feeding their children, that is 158 out of 537 mothers. The findings of this study indicate that improvement in the rate of a child's dietary diversity, women's dietary diversity, and also self-esteem leads to an improvement in the child's nutritional status in a significant manner. It also indicates that moving towards an upward ceiling for cases including compulsory higher education for women, spreading awareness about child nutritional issues, and prohibiting child marriage and early premature pregnancy may enhance sustaining lives for them.