Child Feeding Practices Research Articles

Childhood wasting and associated factors in Africa: evidence from standard demographic and health surveys from 35 countries

IntroductionChild malnutrition remains a critical public health challenge globally. Childhood wasting, a severe form of malnutrition, indicates acute undernutrition, leading to significant loss of muscle and fat tissue. The World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target aims to reduce childhood wasting to less than 5% in over half of low- and middle-income countries by 2025. The enduring hunger crisis in Africa is a complex issue that demands our continuous commitment, innovative solutions, and coordinated efforts. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of childhood wasting in Africa.MethodThis study conducted a secondary analysis of demographic and health survey datasets from 2010 to 2022 in 35 African countries. A total of 212,715 children under the age of 5 years were included, using a weighted sample. We employed a mixed-effects model to evaluate the factors associated with childhood wasting. The significance of the fixed effects was assessed using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval.ResultThe prevalence of childhood wasting in Africa was estimated to be 7.16% (95% CI: 7.05–7.27). Several factors were significantly associated with childhood wasting, including the child’s age, male gender, birth weight, maternal education level, wealth index, lack of antenatal care (ANC) visits, home delivery, multiple gestational births, and rural residence.ConclusionChildhood wasting in Africa exceeds the global target set for 2025, which aims to reduce it to less than 5%. To address this critical issue, educating mothers without formal education and rural residents about antenatal care visits, institutional delivery, and proper child feeding practices is essential. Moreover, a renewed focus on tackling the multifaceted factors of undernutrition, strengthening health systems, and implementing evidence-based interventions tailored to the local context is crucial for achieving meaningful and sustained reductions in wasting prevalence across the region.

The effect of nutritional assistance “gammarana program” on food acceptance and nutritional status of children in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Background: Nutritional deficiencies are a public health issue requiring serious attention in Indonesia. This study evaluates the impact of the Gammarana Program on infant and child feeding practices and nutritional status in South Sulawesi. The program includes nutritional education and counseling provided by Village Nutrition Assistants (TPGD) in stunting-prone villages. The study aimed to assess the program’s effectiveness in improving feeding frequency, dietary diversity, food acceptance, and overall nutritional status of children. Methods: A pretest-posttest design without a control group was used, involving 114 stunting-prone villages and 2,148 families. Over six months, TPGD provided education and counseling on infant and child feeding, growth monitoring, and supplementary feeding. Data were collected through interviews and anthropometric measurements and analyzed using McNemar’s test to determine changes before and after the intervention, with significance set at p<0.05. Results: Results showed a 12.1% increase in feeding frequency, a 27.1% increase in dietary diversity, and a 25.3% improvement in food acceptance. The proportion of underweight children decreased by 1.2%, stunted children by 5.4%, and underweight children by 2.6%. Significant improvements were observed in feeding frequency, dietary diversity, and stunting reduction. Additionally, the increase in average nutritional Z-scores indicated an overall improvement in children's nutritional status. Conclusion: The Gammarana Program effectively improved feeding practices and reduced stunting rates in South Sulawesi.

Prevalence and Determinants of Undernutrition in Under-Five Children in Urban Slums of Tripura, India

Abstract Background: We conducted this study to ascertain the prevalence of undernutrition in terms of stunting, wasting, and underweight for age and their determinants among under-five slum children in urban poor settlements in Tripura, India. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a selected ward in the West District of Tripura from Jan to June 2023, including 353 children. The mothers of the respective children were interviewed regarding their sociodemographic status, household conditions, and child feeding practices. Results: The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting was found to be 23.23% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.82%–27.63%), 23.23% (95% CI: 18.82%–27.63%), and 22.95 (95% CI: 18.56%–27.33%), respectively. The increasing age of the child and the lower maternal education were associated with increased odds of both wasting and being underweight. Children living in households using unclean fuel had nearly five times higher odds of stunting, 1.49 times higher odds of wasting, and 1.9 times higher odds of being underweight. Conclusion: The burden of undernutrition in under-five children in urban poor settlements was comparable to that in the general population of Tripura. Higher educational status of the mother and use of clean fuel (liquefied petroleum gas) were protective against adverse nutritional status (wasting and underweight) in the children.

Household Food Security, Feeding Practices, and Anthropometric Failure Among Children Aged 6–23 Months: A Hospital-Based Study

Abstract Background: Household food security (HHFS) and age-appropriate complementary feeding (CF) conceptually play an important role in growth of a child. This study aims to assess the status of HHFS, age-appropriate CF, and undernutrition among children of 6–23 months and their association (if any). Materials and Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children attending Pediatric OPD of College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital. Children were assessed regarding age-appropriate complementary feeding using infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices indicator, nutritional status using composite index of anthropometric failure indicators, and HHFS using standardized and validated HHFS short Bengali version questionnaire. Mothers/primary caregivers were the respondents. Categorical variables were expressed in frequency and percentages. Statistical analysis was done in Jamovi (v2.2.5). Results: 430 mother-child dyads participated in the study with 83.26% of them having low or very low food security. Minimum acceptable diet (MAD) was absent in 74.65% of children and 42.09% of children had single/multiple anthropometric failure(s). Children aged 6–8 months had higher odds of not having MAD (AOR = 3.6, 1.5–8.3). Male gender (AOR = 2.7, 1.7–4.2) and lack of MAD (AOR = 2.7, 1.6–4.7) were associated with anthropometric failure. However, HHFS was not found to be associated with either lack of MAD or anthropometric failure in this study population. Conclusion: Improper transition from exclusive breast feeding to CF may be responsible for higher odds of having lack of MAD in 6–8 months age group, which require strengthening of IEC activity related to IYCF practices on or before initiation of complementary feeding.

Determinants of infants and young children feeding practices among mothers living in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

The WHO sets evidence-based guidelines for infant feeding. Adhering to the WHO guidelines ensures that infants receive the proper nutrition and thus is associated with healthy growth and development. To describe breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices (CFPs) for infants and young children and identify determinants of appropriate feeding practices. This cross-sectional study was performed via structured interviews with mothers living in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province who had children aged 6-24 months. To evaluate their adherence to the recommended WHO practices, a scoring method was applied (0-9). 395 mothers were interviewed. The rate of breastfeeding within the first hour, and exclusively breastfeeding for six months was both 25%. Multivariate analysis showed that exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months was less likely in middle-income mothers were less likely to exclusively breastfeed for six months than high-income mothers (OR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.18-0.57; p < 0.001). Mothers without domestic help were also less likely to exclusively breastfeed (OR = 3.0; p < 0.001), as were those not living with their husbands (OR = 2.1; p = 0.007). Multiparous mothers and those with higher education were more likely to breastfeed than high school graduates (OR = 2.3, p = 0.02; OR = 4.4, p = 0.015, respectively). Timely breastfeeding initiation within the first hour was more common in term infants than preterm infants (OR = 5.3; p = 0.033), and infants born through normal delivery were four times more likely to initiate breastfeeding early (OR = 4.0; p < 0.001). For CFPs, 42% of participants introduced solid food at six months. 55% of mothers reported poor CFPs, primarily due to inappropriate timing of solid food introduction, choking hazards, and delayed introduction of family meals. Good CFPs were positively associated with higher maternal education, increased income, and living with a husband. Partial compliance with WHO CFP standards need improvement. Interventions should raise awareness of factors leading to poor compliance and support early breastfeeding initiation and continuation. Low-income and less educated families appear to be most in need of support.

Reflections of adolescent motherhood on infant and young child feeding practices: the case of Uganda

BackgroundAge-appropriate breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding play a crucial role in reducing under-5 mortality rates, malnutrition, and mortality worldwide. Given the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in Uganda, we aimed to assess the competence of adolescent mothers in infant and young child feeding (IYCF) using data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic Health Survey.MethodOur sample comprised the last children aged 6–23 months of mothers aged 15–29 years, totaling 2594 mother-infant pairs; 402 were aged 15–19 years, 1,388 were aged 20–29 years with their first delivery before the age of 20, and 804 were aged 20–29 years with their first delivery at 20 years or older. We utilized complex sample logistic regression analysis to examine the interactions between adolescent motherhood and IYCF indicators during the previous day of the survey.ResultsThe rates of ongoing breastfeeding, bottle feeding, minimum meal frequency, minimum dietary diversity, minimum acceptable diet, egg and/or flesh food consumption, zero vegetable or fruit consumption, and unhealthy food consumption were found to be 77.7%, 16.3%, 37.5%, 28.7%, 14.2%, 41.7%, 31.6%, and 14.7%, respectively. Multivariate complex sample logistic regression revealed that women with a history of adolescent pregnancy had lower odds of achieving minimum meal frequency, and higher odds of zero vegetable or fruit consumption.ConclusionAdolescent mothers and women who give birth during their teenage years are particularly vulnerable to inadequate infant and young child nutrition practices. Targeted interventions and education programs should be implemented to promote optimal complementary feeding practices among mothers in Uganda.

Clinical profile and co-morbidities in children with moderate and severe acute malnutrition

Background: Malnutrition as a problem is multidimensional and multifactorial with varied clinical profiles and comorbidities. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the clinical profile and comorbidities in children suffering from malnutrition and to estimate the association of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with demographic parameters, feeding, and immunization. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 132 children with malnutrition, aged between 6 to 59 months, at Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Sitapur over 18 months. Demographic details, clinical history, clinical evaluation, anthropometric measurements, and investigations, were noted on predesigned performa. All the data were analyzed by SPSS software. A p-value&lt;0.05 was considered significant. Result: The mean age of children with malnutrition was 25.79(15.68) months. Wasting and severe wasting among children with malnutrition were 51.5 % and 48.5% respectively. Major comorbidities were diarrhoea (70.5%), severe anemia (67.4%), pneumonia (62.9%), vitamin A deficiency (59.8%), sepsis (54.6%), urinary tract infection (54.5%), vitamin D deficiency (35.6%), worm infestation (30.3%), and tuberculosis (28.8%). A significant association of malnutrition was found with children of younger age (p&lt;0.0001), Hindu religion (p&lt;0.0001), not exclusively breastfed (p=0.004), delayed initiation of complementary feeding (p=0.029), and incomplete immunization (p=0.006). Conclusion: Malnutrition is closely linked to poor infant and young child feeding practices. Malnourished children suffer from various infections and micronutrient deficiencies. Adequate and timely nutritional support plays a vital role in breaking the vicious cycle of undernutrition-disease-undernutrition resulting in recovery.

Comparison of infant and young child feeding practices and demographic characteristics between healthy and malnourished children aged 0-23 months in Pakistan

Comparison of infant and young child feeding practices and demographic characteristics between healthy and malnourished children aged 0-23 months in Pakistan

A Mobile-Based Approach to Enhance Knowledge of Infant and Young Child Feeding Among Teenage Mothers in Nigeria: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background/Objectives: The second highest prevalence of childhood malnutrition in the world is found in Nigeria. Infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) are crucial predictors of the nutritional status of children. This study evaluated the effects of utilization of the BabyThrive app versus control on IYCF knowledge of Nigerian teenage mothers. Methods: A parallel, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 194 low-income teenage mother–child (0–2 years) dyads in Nigeria. Outcome measures included knowledge concerning food type for an infant, exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and total IYCF knowledge scores. Results: No significant differences in demographic characteristics or IYCF knowledge were found at baseline. Post-intervention, almost all BabyThrive participants vs. only 36.1% of controls were aware that expressed breast milk is the ideal food for an infant &lt;6 months, when a mother resumes work (p &lt; 0.05). As compared to the BabyThrive group, knowledge of how to maintain breast milk supply (5.2% vs. 83.5%), the duration of safety of breast milk at room temperature (15.4% vs. 85.6%), responsive feeding (58.8% vs. 96.9) and dietary diversity (15.5% vs. 99%) was substantially lower in controls (p &lt; 0.05). Mean knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding (25.17 ± 1.37 vs. 19.87 ± 1.80), complementary feeding (15.68 ± 0.60, vs. 13.51 ± 1.21) and total knowledge scores (46.8 ± 1.79 vs. 38.65 ± 2.71) was higher in the BabyThrive group (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: In sum, the BabyThrive app significantly increased maternal IYCF knowledge in comparison with controls. It will be a useful tool to improve maternal IYCF knowledge in resource-limited areas.

Parental Weight Stigma Associated with Self-Directed Weight Talk and Use of Health-Related Restrictive Feeding Practices.

Parents are important conduits of weight- and health-related messaging. Weight-related communication and approaches to child feeding used by parents may reflect their past experiences with weight stigma and are understudied pathways through which intergenerational weight stigma may be transmitted. To examine how experienced and internalized weight stigma among parents of children with higher weights are associated with weight-related communication and the feeding practices they use. The Listening to Parents study is a cross-sectional study of 103 parent-child dyads who completed in-person study visits at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan between November 2022 through June 2023. Participants were parents of children (ages 6 to 14 years, identified by parents as "heavier or overweight") who completed the Stigmatizing Situations Inventory Brief (SSI-B) and Weight Bias Internalization Scale-Modified (WBIS-M), as well as questions about weight-related communication and the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ). Outcomes included 5 items corresponding to parental weight-related communication (self-directed, other-directed, and child-directed weight talk, child-directed weight teasing, and child-directed encouragement to lose weight) and 3 CFPQ subscales (Monitoring, Restriction for Health, and Restriction for Weight Control). Linear regression models were used to examine associations between mean scored parent- experienced and parent-internalized weight stigma and weight-related communication and feeding practices. Models were adjusted for child gender, parent-perceived child weight status, parental race/ethnicity, parental body mass index, and household income-to-needs ratio. In covariate-adjusted models, parent-internalized weight stigma was positively associated with self-directed weight talk (β=0.20, SE=0.078, p=0.01) and greater use of health-related restrictive child feeding practices (β=0.16, SE=0.070, p=0.02). No other significant associations in covariate-adjusted models were observed. While parents with greater internalized weight stigma may engage in more self-directed weight talk, they may also be more attuned to the harms of weight stigma and seek to minimize child-directed weight talk and weight teasing.

Infant and young child feeding practice status and its determinants in UAE: results from the MISC cohort

BackgroundTo evaluate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices and their determinants among infants and young children in the United Arab Emirates using the 2021 WHO/UNICEF IYCF guidelines.MethodsThe Mother and Infant Study Cohort (MISC), is a prospective study of mothers recruited in their third gestational trimester and followed with their infants up to 18 months of age (n = 167). Data were collected at 3rd trimester, delivery, 2, 6, 12, and 18 months postpartum via questionnaires, review of medical records, anthropometric measurements, and 24-hour dietary recalls of the child’s intake at 6, 12, and 18 months. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regressions were used to report on feeding practices and their determinants.ResultsEver breastfeeding, Early initiation of breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months were reported by 84.3%, 99.4%, and 32.9% of participants, respectively. Of children, 96.4% consumed solid foods at 6–8 months; 68.7% and 44.7% continued to be breastfed at 12 and 18 months, respectively. Despite improvement with age; several complementary feeding indicators remained suboptimal at 18 months: Minimum Dietary Diversity: 40.4%, Minimum Meal Frequency: 56.7%, Minimum Acceptable Diet: 23.1%, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, 26.9%, Zero Vegetables and Fruits: 28.8%, Unhealthy Food Consumption: 65.4%. After adjustment, multiparous mothers had higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding, whereas pregnancy complications were associated with lower odds of exclusive breastfeeding. Continued breastfeeding at 18 months was associated with older age among mothers and lower income. Among the factors associated with complementary feeding indicators were higher physical activity and Minimum Dietary Diversity. While Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and higher education were associated with lower odds of Zero Vegetables and Fruits, and a higher income was associated with lower Unhealthy Food Consumption.ConclusionsThis study reported good rates of Early initiation of breastfeeding and ever-breastfeeding, yet suboptimal exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding. The identified risk factors for inappropriate practices could be used to guide nutrition interventions and public health programs in the United Arab Emirates.

Food Insecurity and Coping Mechanisms: Impact on Maternal Mental Health and Child Malnutrition.

Household food insecurity (HFI) is a serious public health concern in Lebanon. Adverse mental health issues have been reported among food insecure households in addition to physical and nutritional complications. Caregivers in food insecure families tend to adopt different coping mechanisms to mitigate the effects of food insecurity (FI) on their children. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to explore the relationship between FI, maternal depression, child malnutrition, and differential coping mechanisms adopted by mothers. A total of 219 women were enrolled in this study; FI was assessed using the household food insecurity assessment (HFIAS), maternal depression using the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), and their children's nutritional status through recall of anthropometric measurements. Pearson's correlations and logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the associations between HFI, maternal depression, and children's nutritional status. A strong positive correlation between HFI and maternal depression (p = 0.001) and children's nutritional status (p = 0.008) was shown. Logistic regressions revealed that being food secure decreased the risk of maternal depression (OR = 0.328, 95% CI 0.125-0.863, p = 0.024), while it did not predict children's nutritional status. Eight main themes related to coping mechanisms were identified. This study highlights the understudied relationship between food insecurity and maternal depression, showing an increased prevalence of HFI among residents in Lebanon with a positive correlation with increased maternal depression. Further investigation is warranted to better explore how to mitigate the negative impact of food insecurity on mental health, maternal nutritional needs, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices in Lebanon.

Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Aged 6-59 Months Seeking Medical Care at Kyegegwa Hospital, Kyegegwa District, Uganda

Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Aged 6-59 Months Seeking Medical Care at Kyegegwa Hospital, Kyegegwa District, Uganda

Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey

BackgroundUndernutrition among children is a public health concern in most low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is associated with poor child growth and development. Knowledge about child feeding practices is needed for nutritional policies and programs. Hence, this study assessed the status of minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and its associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was based on a secondary dataset of the 2022–2023 Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2022–23). Complete data from 7,876 children aged 6–23 months were analysed. The outcome variable was MAD and was defined according to the WHO and UNICEF recommendations and indicators for young child feeding practices. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with MAD.ResultsAbout 7.3% of children aged 6–23 months were fed with the recommended MAD. The likelihood of receiving MAD was higher in children aged 13–18 months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.01 (95%CI: 1.63–2.48)] and 19–23 months [2.11 (95%CI: 1.68–2.66)], in children belonging to households with higher wealth status [1.39 (95%CI: 1.04–1.87), 2.06 (95%CI: 1.51–2.82), and 3.07 (95%CI: 2.14–4.40) for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th quintile of wealth status, respectively], and in children living in rural areas [1.56 (95%CI: 1.21–2.01)]. On the other hand, the maternal age group 30–39 years [0.79 (95%CI: 0.64–0.96)] and non-institutional delivery [0.67 (95%CI: 0.54–0.83)] were associated with reduced odds of MAD.ConclusionOur study revealed that a small percentage (7.3%) of children received MAD in Afghanistan. This emphasizes the need for policies and interventions aimed at the improvement of child feeding practices to ultimately lead to better child nutrition and health in Afghanistan.

Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices among Lactating Mother in Rural Odisha

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines “Nutrition” as the intake of food considered in relation to the baby’s dietary needs. Children are the chief victim of interchange of the nutrition, socioeconomic and health factors that cause malnutrition. Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is essential to ensure proper growth and development. Research scientific evidence reveals that malnutrition has been responsible directly or indirectly for 60% of mortality among children under five years annually. Over more than half of these deaths is often associated with wrong feeding practices. The Infant and Young child feeding practices during the first 2 years of life is overriding importance as this period is the “critical window” for the promotion of good health, growth, behavioral, and intellectual development. A study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of the lactating mothers regarding IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices) in the district of Kendrapara, Odisha.

A cross sectional study on minimum dietary diversity and nutritional status among the Children aged 6-23 months in the urban field practice area of Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, Telangana

Abstract Background: As part of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Minimum dietary diversity (MDD) score to assess nutritional diversity among children aged 6–23 months. MDD was one of the 17 IYCF indicators. Insufficient diversity in diets can lead to poor nutritional status as a result of deficiencies in both macro- and micronutrients. Objective: To calculate MDD score in children between 6 and 23 months and to determine the association between MDD and nutritional status among study subjects. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 320 children of age 6–23 months. Children were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected from the informant/mother using questionnaire. Results: Minimum Dietary Diversity score was 0.5906. A statistically significant association was found between absence of MDD and underweight, stunting, and wasting. The association between absence of MDD and severe acute malnutrition was not statistically significant. Conclusion: MDD was an important IYCF indicator and there was a significant association between MDD and nutritional status.

Impact of maternal nutritional literacy and feeding practices on the growth outcomes of children (6-23 months) in Gujranwala: a cross-sectional study.

Malnutrition contributes to approximately 45% of deaths among under 5 years children in low and middle-income countries. Poor maternal knowledge and failure to comply with recommended Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are known risk factors for malnutrition but there are inconsistencies in the literature. Therefore, this cross-sectional study of 100 mother-child pairs in district Gujranwala aimed to assess maternal nutritional literacy (MNL) and maternal feeding practices (MFP) and their ultimate impacts on child growth. A researcher administered questionnaire that was the combination of WHO model questionnaires and FAO Nutrition-related KAP model questionnaires was used to collect the data from mothers while and anthropometric measurements of children were taken by following the standard methods. Results showed that 57% of mothers had average nutritional knowledge and feeding practices were not satisfactory. Only 12% of mothers-initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, 7% of infants were exclusively breastfed, while 27.27% continued to be breastfed beyond 1 year. Complementary foods were timely introduced to 53% of infants, 47% received minimum meal frequency and 34% met the minimum dietary diversity criteria. Additionally, the consumption of unhealthy foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and zero consumption of fruits and vegetables was practiced by 71, 23, and 27% of infants and young children, respectively. Prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight and overweight was 19, 9, 12, and 12%, respectively. A non-significant association was observed between MNL and MFP with growth outcomes with a few exceptions. The odds of being wasted (β = 1.903, OR = 6.706, p < 0.05) and underweight (β = 1.732, OR = 5.654, p < 0.05) are higher among children who had vaginal birth. Higher odds of being stunted (β = 2.173, OR = 8.788, p < 0.05) were observed among those whose mothers had middle school education compared to those having higher education. Overall results indicated a dire need not only to create nutritional awareness among mothers in Gujranwala but also to provide a support system for mothers to help them implement standard feeding practices.

Campylobacter colonization and undernutrition in infants in rural eastern Ethiopia - a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study.

Campylobacter is associated with environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and malnutrition in children. Campylobacter infection could be a linchpin between livestock fecal exposure and health outcomes in low-resource smallholder settings. We followed a birth cohort of 106 infants in rural smallholder households in eastern Ethiopia up to 13 months of age. We measured anthropometry, surveyed sociodemographic determinants, and collected stool and urine samples. A short survey was conducted during monthly visits, infant stool samples were collected, and Campylobacter spp. was quantified using genus-specific qPCR. In month 13, we collected stool and urine samples to assay for EED biomarkers. We employed regression analyses to assess the associations of household determinants with Campylobacter colonization, EED, and growth faltering. The Campylobacter load in infant stools increased with age. The mean length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) decreased from -0.45 at 3-4 months of age to -2.06 at 13 months, while the prevalence of stunting increased from 3 to 51%. The prevalence of EED at 13 months of age was 56%. A higher Campylobacter load was associated with more frequent diarrhea. Prelacteal feeding significantly increased Campylobacter load in the first month of life. Over the whole follow-up period, Campylobacter load was increased by keeping chickens unconfined at home and unsanitary disposal of infant stools while decreased by mothers' handwashing with soap. Longitudinally, Campylobacter load was positively associated with food insecurity, introduction of complementary foods, and raw milk consumption. There were no significant associations between Campylobacter load, EED, and LAZ. This study found that most determinants associated with increased Campylobacter infection were related to suboptimal feeding practices and hygiene. The findings related to livestock-associated risks were inconclusive. Although stunting, EED, and Campylobacter prevalence rates all increased to high levels by the end of the first year of life, no significant association between them was identified. While additional research is needed to investigate whether findings from this study are replicable in other populations, community efforts to improve infant and young child feeding practices and food hygiene, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) at the household level, could reduce (cross-)contamination at the point of exposure.

Characterization of feeding practices in children

Introduction: nutrition, in addition to being the basis of a set of eating habits, adheres to the need with which food intake must meet the daily needs demanded by life and physical activity.Objective: to characterize eating practices in children.Method: a review of the available literature in databases such as SciELO, Scopus and ClinicalKey was carried out, from which a total of 15 related articles were consulted, empirical methods such as logical history and analysis and synthesis were used.Results: individuals in charge of children should wash their hands before preparing food and those of children before eating. Food should be preserved and stored safely and served immediately after preparation. Poor feeding practices and infections, often aggravated by poverty, humanitarian crises and conflicts, deprive them of adequate nutrition. Nutritional status is based on being the result of the intake and energy needs in the body, expressing a degree of well-being of people.Conclusions: a diet must be ensured that includes all the necessary foods to satisfy the nutritional and energy needs of the child in order to avoid diseases and ensure an optimal state of health

Sources of Information on and Perceptions Related to Infant and Young Child Feeding among Fathers: A Cross-Sectional Study from Southern India

ABSTRACT Introduction: The infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices determine the well-being of the child. Reliable and updated information is essential to have adequate feeding practices for young children. This also applies to the fathers of children. The sources of information and related factors are crucial in improving paternal IYCF practices. Methodology: This study assessed the perceptions, preferred sources of information of the fathers regarding IYCF, and associated factors. This paper includes a part of the community-based cross-sectional phase from a larger multiphase study carried out among 450 fathers of young children (aged &lt;2 years) in a rapidly developing coastal district of the South Indian State of Karnataka. Data were analyzed using Jamovi software version 2.3.26. Results: The age of the participants ranged from 23 to 56 (mean: 34.6 years +/- 5.4); 46.7% of participants preferred relatives and friends, and 38.9% preferred healthcare providers as sources of information on IYCF. Those residing in predominantly rural areas were more likely to consult health care providers for information on IYCF (OR 3.50 (95% CI 1.98–6.53; P &lt; 0.001)). Also, 77.3% of participants felt weaning must be started after 6 months of age. Nearly half of the participants were aware of the exact nature of food items to be introduced during weaning of their child. Conclusions: A high proportion of the participants felt the need to update their knowledge of IYCF. Nearly one-third of them preferred healthcare providers as a source of information. Participants from predominantly rural areas preferred healthcare providers as compared to those from urban areas.