Predictors of complementary feeding in infants aged 6 to 18 months: An application of Health Belief Model

Fateme Pur Esmaeili,Amin Mirzaei,Mohsen Jalilian

doi:10.4038/sljch.v49i1.8898

Abstract

Introduction: Complementary feeding plays a vital role in growth and development of children and prevention of malnutrition. Objective: To determine the predictors of complementary feeding in 6 to 18-month-old infants and young children based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Method: This cross-sectional study was performed on 270 mothers of children aged 6 to 18 months who were randomly selected from those referred to six health centres in Andimeshk city, Iran. Data were gathered using a 53-item questionnaire based on the HBM and were analysed by SPSS statistical software, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression tests. Results: Mean age of the mothers was 29.8 ± 5.08 years and most of them were homemakers (88.5) and had an under-diploma education (62.2). The HBM constructs predicted a total of 28.9 of the variance of mothers' behaviour in relation to complementary feeding in children. Perceived selfefficacy (p = 0.001) and perceived barriers (p = 0.011) significantly predicted the behaviour. Conclusions: Perceived barriers and perceived self-efficacy are the most important determinants of mothers' behaviour in relation to complementary feeding in children. © 2020, Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians.

Highlights

Complementary feeding plays a vital role in growth and development of children and prevention of malnutrition
The Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs predicted a total of 28.9% of the variance of mothers' behaviour in relation to complementary feeding in children
Open Access Article published under the Creative

Summary

Introduction

Complementary feeding plays a vital role in growth and development of children and prevention of malnutrition. Previous studies show that the first two years of life are the most important period for growth and development of infants[2]. Infants aged less than two years old are very vulnerable to malnutrition due to their nutritional needs for growth[3,4,5]. The destructive effects of malnutrition include immune disorders, respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal infections, disruption of central nervous system growth and reduced mental abilities[7,8]. Malnutrition is the direct and indirect reason for half of the 10.9 million deaths of kids under the age of 5 in the world and more than two thirds of these deaths are usually associated with poor nutrition in the first two years of life[9]. In Iran, kid’s malnutrition is considered as a major health issue and several studies have reported the prevalence of underweight in Iranian kids[3,6,10]

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