Weaning and nutritional status of under-three children

Abstract

The duration of weaning can be influential to malnutrition in children. The proper weaning duration, supported with appropriate provision of solid food (in terms of the amount and types of food), contribute positively towards the children’s growth and development. The present study was aimed to investigate the correlation of weaning duration and the determinants with infants’ and under-three children’s nutritional status in Siduan sub-district, Paguat district, Pohuwato regency. The research employed descriptive methods and involved the following variables: weaning duration, nutritional status, education level, sociocultural perspectives on weaning, and economic level. The purposive sampling technique was involved to acquire the sample of mothers with infants and under-three children undergoing weaning period; the samples consisted of 39 children: seven infants and 32 under-three children. The implementation and the duration of weaning in most samples in the research site were considered as appropriate in accordance to the WHO recommendation. The determinant factors of the weaning duration involved reasoning of weaning, sociocultural aspect, education aspect, level of economy, and mothers’ activities. The children’s nutritional status was described as follows: the percentage of infants having overweight, healthy weight, and underweight status were 28.6% each, while severely underweight infants 14.2%. Moreover, 25% of the under-three children had healthy weight, while 59.4% of the children were underweight and 15.6% were severely underweight. Proper weaning duration is not an absolute determinant factor of infants’ and children’s nutritional status. However, the appropriate implementation of weaning is proven useful to promote children’s nutritional status.