Infant Feeding Research Articles

Exploring the impact of infant feeding patterns on the psychological well-being of adolescent mothers

ABSTRACT Introduction The rate of breastfeeding among adolescent mothers is lower compared to adult mothers, and it is unclear what their psychological and emotional status is after the success or failure of breastfeeding. This study aims to investigate adolescent mothers’ psychological experiences following their infant feeding patterns. Method The present qualitative study was conducted on adolescent primiparous mothers with a child under two years old in 2023, in the cities of Mashhad and Urmia, Iran. Purposeful sampling was employed to achieve data saturation. Data were gathered through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 11 adolescent mothers. Data analysis was conducted simultaneously with data collection, using the qualitative content analysis method developed by Granheim and Landman. Results The data analysis identified six subcategories and two main categories. The first main category was ‘An enjoyable transformation after breastfeeding’ which consisted of the subcategories‘Early connection to motherhood and adulthood’, ‘Early realisation of life-giving aspirations’, ‘Love for the child soothing the deep suffering of very young mothers’, and ‘Sacrifice and attachment of very young mothers to the child despite the need for attention’. The second main category was “Adolescent mothers in the midst of conflicting emotions” which included the subcategories of “Feeling of victory or defeat in very young mothers” and “Adolescent mothers” ambivalent feelings during breastfeeding’. Conclusion Infant feeding patterns have a significant impact on the psychological well-being of adolescent mothers. It is recommended that a supportive programme be developed to offer psychological support to these mothers.

Expectations and Perspectives About Infant Feeding of Their First Child Among Rural Women.

To explore expectations and perspectives related to infant feeding of their first child among rural women. Qualitative descriptive. Rural women who were first-time mothers (N= 18). We recruited participants from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinics and a nurse home-visiting program in a midwestern U.S. state. Using the construct of habitus, we developed an interview guide and used semistructured interviews to explore the expectations and perspectives of participants regarding infant feeding of the first child. We analyzed the transcribed interviews using content analysis techniques to identify overall themes. We identified four overarching themes and associated subthemes that represented participants' expectations and perspectives: I'm Educated but Not So Much on Breastfeeding, This Is Small Town Culture, I Had Expectations, and This Area Lacks Resources for Mothers. Overall, participants had high expectations to breastfeed. However, most discontinued breastfeeding soon after giving birth due to a lack of pragmatic knowledge about how to breastfeed, poor understanding of infant nutritional needs in the first few weeks of life, and a nonsupportive habitus.

Anishininew Infant Feeding Experiences in Sandy Lake, Canada: A Story of Waabeequanee.

Global public health recommendations for optimal infant nutrition include exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Breastfeeding has several benefits; however, breastfeeding initiation rates and duration remain below recommendations in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Sandy Lake First Nation is particularly interested in understanding infant feeding experiences of community members to support increased breastfeeding initiation and duration. Therefore, this project aims to understand Indigenous caregiver infant feeding experiences using qualitative and Indigenous methodologies. As part of the Sandy Lake Health and Diabetes Project (SLHDP), a community-based participatory project focused on the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 Anishininew caregivers living in Sandy Lake, Ontario. These interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. The Anishininew medicine wheel and situational analysis were used to inform our methods throughout this work. We recruited 32 co-creators, ages 18 to 57, who contributed knowledge through 26 individual and group interviews which occurred between August and October 2019. Two overarching themes, community context and caregiver identities, were identified that encompass 6 and 8 specific themes, respectively, representing infant feeding experiences in Sandy Lake. Community members provided a variety of recommendations to help support infant nutrition in Sandy Lake, including a focus on structural needs like higher income and water security. This work highlights the need for birthing supports within remote Indigenous communities, and the inclusion of local and Indigenous knowledge in programming.

Exploring Infant Size and Body Composition at 18 Months: An Ambidirectional Peri-Urban South African Cohort Study.

The first 1000 days of life lay the foundations for subsequent growth. This ambidirectional study, including prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors, aimed to identify exposure variables affecting body size and composition and corresponding Z-score outcomes at age 18 months in infants born to women at low risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a peri-urban area of South Africa. Prenatal factors (maternal age, HIV status, anthropometry, parity, food insecurity and umbilical artery resistance index Z-score (UmA-RIAZ) as a measure of placental function, with higher UmA-RIAZ indicating poorer placental function); perinatal factors (infant sex, gestational age and birth anthropometry) and postnatal factors (infant feeding) were included as exposure variables, with infant anthropometry and body composition at 18 months as outcomes. Simple linear regression analysis was used to investigate associations between exposure variables and infant outcomes, and variables with p < 0.10 were included in the subsequent multiple regression analyses. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher UmA-RIAZ predicted lower birthweight [-0.11 kg (95% CI: -0.17, -0.04 kg)], birthweight-for-age Z-score [-0.24 (95% CI: -0.39, -0.09)] and 18-month infant length [-0.9 cm (95% CI: -1.4, -0.4 cm)] and length-for-age Z-score [-0.28 (95% CI: -0.45, -0.11)]. Maternal HIV infection predicted reduced 18-month infant length-for-age Z-score [-0.46 (95% CI: -0.83, -0.09)]. Household food insecurity predicted reduced fat-free mass-for-age Z-score at 18 months [-0.27 (95% CI: -0.51, -0.03)]. Infant anthropometry and body composition outcomes, therefore, are greatly affected by pre- and postnatal nutrition-related factors, such as placental insufficiency in utero and household food insecurity, with long-term consequences including stunting, which impact the individual, future generations and society.

School-age growth and development following infant feeding and/or water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions in rural Zimbabwe: long-term follow-up of a cluster-randomised trial

Few trials have explored long-term effects of interventions designed to reduce child stunting. We evaluated school-age outcomes in rural Zimbabwean children who received cluster-randomised water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and/or infant and young child feeding (IYCF) interventions from pregnancy up to 18 months of age. The Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial enrolled pregnant women from two rural Zimbabwean districts (Chirumanzu and Shurugwi) between 2012 and 2015, and cluster-randomised them using a 2×2 factorial design to standard-of-care, WASH, IYCF, or combined WASH & IYCF, with a co-primary outcome of height-for-age Z-score and haemoglobin at 18 months (clinicaltrials.govNCT01824940). Children who were HIV-unexposed, age 7 years, and still living in Shurugwi district were eligible for this follow-up study (registered at PACTR 202201828512110) and measured between 1st April 2021 and 30th September 2022. The primary outcome at 7 years was cognitive function using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II). Secondary outcomes were executive function, literacy and numeracy, fine motor skills, socioemotional function, handgrip strength, broad jump distance, shuttle-run test distance, anthropometry, lean mass index, and skinfold thicknesses. Study nurses conducting assessments were blinded to intervention arm. Analysis followed a pre-registered statistical analysis plan. Intention-to-treat analyses using generalized estimating equations were used to assess the long-term effects of WASH and IYCF on each outcome, leveraging the factorial trial design. A pre-specified subgroup analysis by child sex was also performed. Among 3989 HIV-negative women, 3676 children were assessed at age 18 months; of these, 1002 (510 female) were assessed at mean (SD) age 7.3 (0.2) years. There was no effect of IYCF or WASH on the KABC-II score or secondary cognitive outcomes, except a small improvement in socioemotional function in WASH arms (-0.98 points, 95% CI-1.73,-0.22, p=0.01). Children in IYCF arms had higher handgrip strength (0.28Kg, 95% CI 0.02, 0.53, p=0.03); however, in the pre-specified subgroup analysis, improved handgrip strength was seen only in boys (0.53Kg, 95% CI 0.19, 0.87 p=0.002). There were no significant effects of either intervention on other outcomes. Early-life IYCF and WASH led to few functional benefits by school-age. Interventions that are more comprehensive, delivered for longer, and include nurturing care should be considered to improve long-term cognitive and physical function. Wellcome [220671/Z/20/Z, 108065/Z/15/Z]; NIH [R61HD103101]; Thrasher [15250]; and IMMANA [3.02].

Management of the Maxillary Labial Frenum

This study examined the maxillary labial frenum (MLF) and its clinical implications, focusing on its anatomy, developmental changes, and management strategies. The MLF functions as a connective tissue linking the upper lip to the alveolar ridge, facilitating essential processes such as speech production, food consumption, and the maintenance of proper dental alignment. Abnormal development or attachment can result in midline diastema, speech difficulties, and breastfeeding challenges. During growth, the MLF typically migrates from the alveolar crest in infancy to the mucogingival junction by adulthood; however, in some cases, this migration fails, leading to persistent diastema or other oral health concerns. The timing of frenectomy remains unclear. Certain experts advocate for early intervention to facilitate orthodontic treatment, while others recommend postponing surgical procedures until orthodontic efforts are completed, as the majority of diastemas close naturally with the eruption of permanent canines. In instances where diastema persists, frenectomy may be necessary to prevent relapse. Restrictive frenum attachments have been linked to breastfeeding difficulties; however, feeding outcomes can also be influenced by factors such as maternal technique and infant feeding patterns. This review highlights the need for individualized assessment and treatment planning, balancing surgical intervention with natural development, to ensure the best outcomes for each patient.

Are boys more vulnerable to stunting? Examining risk factors, differential sensitivity, and measurement issues in Zambian infants and young children

BackgroundStunting remains a considerable public health problem globally, and sex differences in prevalence have been documented. While many risk factors for stunting have been identified, few studies examine how these factors may contribute to sex differences. We test whether: (1) boys and girls are differentially exposed to stunting risk factors, (2) boys and girls respond differently to similar exposures, and (3) these associations are sensitive to the growth measures used.MethodsData comes from 7486 Zambian infants, aged 0–23 months, participating in the SUN (Scaling Up Nutrition) 2.0 Program baseline survey. Surveys and dietary recalls were collected from primary caregivers, and anthropometry was collected for caregivers and children. Stunting was defined as height-for-age z-score (HAZ) <-2. Descriptive statistics and adjusted multilevel logistic regression models controlling for age and province were used to identify sex differences in exposures and risk factors for stunting, respectively. Interaction terms between exposure and infant sex were added to test for sex differences in response. Sensitivity testing with alternate measures of infant size, including height-for-age difference (HAD), was conducted.ResultsBoys were more likely to be stunted than girls (34.5% vs. 25.7%, respectively). Numerous maternal, care giving, diet, and household characteristics were associated with the risk of stunting, but few sex differences were seen in exposure to these factors. Only one risk factor—maternal marital status—showed evidence of moderation by sex at the p < 0.05 level, while a limited number of risk factors did so at the p < 0.10 level. At all ages, boys were longer than girls, and there were no sex-specific differences in the patterns of HAZ or HAD with age. Results were robust to alternate specifications.ConclusionsOur results show that Zambian boys have lower mean HAZ scores than girls and a greater prevalence of stunting throughout the first two years We do not find strong evidence that infant feeding practices, environmental exposures, or care giving differ consistently between boys and girls or that boys and girls respond differently to these exposures. Our results instead indicate that further investigation of prenatal factors and/or measurement issues is needed.

Women’s exposure to commercial milk formula marketing: a WHO multi-country market research study

BackgroundMarketing of commercial milk formula (CMF) is well resourced and has influenced societal beliefs and practices that have undermined breastfeeding. This has occurred despite legislation in many countries largely reflecting the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in seven countries: Bangladesh, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, United Kingdom and Viet Nam to explore the scope and nature of CMF marketing among pregnant women and mothers. A marketing-research methodology was adopted using convenience sampling of women stratified according to infant feeding practices and the infant’s age.Participants were identified in hospitals and clinics, as well as in the street, markets and shopping malls. In each country the sample size comprised 300 pregnant women, 150 mothers of children aged > 18 months who were breastfeeding without giving CMF and 600 women feeding their children with CMF. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered on tablets by trained field workers.ResultsInterviews were conducted with 8528 women between October 2019 and March 2021. Overall, 3095/7480 (41.3%) of women reported exposure to CMF marketing ranging from 3% in Morocco to 92% in Viet Nam. The commonest marketing site in all countries was television, but advertising in-store and in magazines and newspapers was also common. In most countries, CMF advertising on social media, websites and YouTube was less compared to traditional media. Reports of receiving free CMF samples varied from 3.1% in Nigeria to 34.6% in Viet Nam. Health professionals were the most common source of advice to mothers about starting CMF and which CMF brand to use.ConclusionsThe study provides quantitative data about CMF marketing and insights on how marketing companies develop effective messages, helping to explain how individual vulnerabilities or aspirations are integrated into marketing strategies. The findings reaffirm the need for action across political and health domains to counter actions of CMF companies. This will require effective national legislation fully reflecting the Code and action by professional bodies to protect health professionals from targeting by CMF marketing. Marketing-research methods could be employed to develop messaging in support of breastfeeding and breastfeeding-friendly policies.

A maternal and child health administrative cohort in Scotland: the utility of linked administrative data for understanding early years' outcomes and inequalities

IntroductionThe early years are considered one of the most impactful points in the life course to intervene to improve population health and reduce health inequalities because, for example, both ill health and social disadvantage can track into adulthood. Scotland's outstanding systems for data linkage offer untapped potential to further our understanding of when and why inequalities in child health, development and wellbeing emerge. This understanding is vital for the consideration of policy options for their reduction. MethodsBirth registrations, hospital episodes, dispensed community prescriptions, child health reviews and immunisation records were linked for 198,483 mother-child pairs for babies born in Scotland from October 2009 to the end of March 2013, followed up until April 2018 (average age 6 years). ResultsOutcomes include birthweight and newborn health, dispensed prescriptions for mental health medications, tobacco smoke exposure, infant feeding, immunisations, hospitalisation for unintentional injuries, socio-emotional, cognitive and motor development, and overweight and obesity. Several measures are repeated throughout childhood allowing examination of timing, change and persistence. Socio-economic circumstances (SECs) include neighbourhood deprivation, relationship status of the parents, and occupational status. Descriptive analyses highlight large inequalities across all outcomes. Inequalities are greater when measured by family-level as opposed to area-level, aspects of socio-economic circumstances and for persistent or more severe outcomes. For example, 41.4% of the most disadvantaged children (living with a lone, economically inactive mother in the most deprived fifth of areas) were exposed to tobacco smoke in utero and in infancy/toddlerhood compared to &lt;1% in the least disadvantaged children (living with a married, managerial/professional mother in the least deprived quintile of areas). ConclusionThis novel linkage provides a longitudinal picture of health throughout the early years and how this varies according to family- and area-level measures of SECs. Future linkages could include other family members (e.g. siblings, grandmothers) and other sectors (e.g. education, social care). The creation of additional cohorts would allow for long-term and efficient evaluation of policies as natural experiments.

Prenatal to Adulthood: The Responsibility of the Speech-Language Pathologist on the Comprehensive Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Team.

Comprehensive cleft care is an important component when caring for a child with cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP ± L). Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) serve different capacities on comprehensive cleft palate and craniofacial teams. This tutorial highlights the role of the SLP on the cleft palate and craniofacial team from the prenatal consultation to adulthood. This tutorial emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the cleft team SLP and other professionals on a comprehensive cleft team. Additionally, the tutorial provides education for feeding infants with CP ± L and focuses on assessment and treatment of children with CP ± L before and after the palate repair. Finally, this tutorial underscores the importance of working as part of and collaborating with interdisciplinary team members. SLPs are an essential member of comprehensive cleft teams in addition to other medical providers. SLPs play a critical role on these multidisciplinary teams and are fundamental to the assessment and treatment of feeding, speech, language, and resonance disorders in children with CP ± L. It is critical that SLPs are involved in comprehensive cleft team care from the prenatal consultation through adulthood to monitor resonance, speech, and language development and outcomes.

Lactation Support for Breastfeeding and Chestfeeding People with HIV: A Call for Research to Examine Telelactation Experience, HIV Knowledge, and Lactation Consultants' Attitudes Related to Infant Feeding with HIV.

Clinical guidelines for infant feeding among people with HIV in the U.S. were updated in 2023 to encourage providers to utilize a shared decision-making approach that includes breastfeeding/chestfeeding (B/CF) when appropriate. Despite this historic shift in policy to support B/CF as an infant feeding choice for people living with HIV, birthing people living with HIV who desire B/CF face many barriers, and there is currently a gap in research identifying best practices for facilitating safe and satisfying B/CF in this population. Lactation support specialists have been identified as a positive factor in successful B/CF and a key resource for supporting B/CF for people with HIV. Recent research has shown that telelactation, the provision of care from a qualified lactation consultant or counselor using telehealth, can increase access to quality lactation support in underserved areas and can effectively improve outcomes, such as increased rates of exclusive breastfeeding and decreased early breastfeeding cessation while maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction. Telelactation is an innovative approach to improving access to B/CF among birthing people living with HIV, but little is currently known about what kind of support lactation support specialists and other perinatal HIV care providers may need to meet the clinical and psychosocial needs of B/CF people living with HIV and their infants. More research is needed to identify possible gaps in knowledge and other needs within the lactation support community so that infant feeding specialists are adequately equipped with evidence-based strategies to support the unique needs of parents living with HIV.

Influence of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (IYCF) on Nutritional Status of Children Aged 6-59 Months in Moheshkhali, Cox’sbazar, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: This study addresses the critical issue of malnutrition among under-five children in Moheshkhali, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Despite the alarming rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight in this region, there is a significant lack of localized data on socioeconomic factors, IYCF practices, and overall health status. Understanding these variables is essential for developing effective interventions. Methods: The research involved a cross-sectional study design, where anthropometric measurements were conducted to assess the nutritional status of children aged 6 to 59 months. Maternal education, age, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were also evaluated to explore their impacts on child nutrition. Data were analyzed using standard statistical methods to draw correlations and identify trends. Results: The findings revealed a high prevalence of malnutrition among under-five children, with notable gender disparities in stunting and underweight. The analysis indicated a strong relationship between maternal health indicators—particularly BMI—and child nutritional outcomes. Moreover, inadequate adherence to IYCF practices was observed, with many mothers failing to implement optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding strategies. Conclusion: The study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at improving maternal education and IYCF practices in Moheshkhali. A multi-sectoral approach involving government and non-government organizations is essential to address the malnutrition crisis effectively. Investing in preventive measures and promoting healthy feeding practices are crucial for ensuring the well-being of both mothers and their children.

The impact of infant feeding practices on the risk of developing food allergies

The impact of infant feeding practices on the risk of developing food allergies

Modern Approaches to Achieving Control over Common Health Disorders in Infants: the Effectiveness of Extensively Hydrolyzed and Amino Acid Formulas

Proper nutrition of the mother and baby is the most important condition for the development and health of the child. It is the first 1000 days of a child’s life that are critical for neuroontogenesis, the formation of further abilities to acquire and improve various skills, and to learn successfully. It is the first 1000 days of a child’s life that are critical for neuroontogenesis, the formation of further abilities to acquire and improve various skills, and to learn successfully. Breast milk is the “gold standard” of nutrition for all newborns, including children with functional digestive disorders and food allergies. Supporting and promoting adherence to breastfeeding in the first 6 months of a child’s life are the most important tasks for all medical professionals providing medical care to children. The most common pathological conditions among children of the first year of life are functional digestive disorders and manifestations of food allergies, in which diet therapy is the main type of treatment. In situations where breast milk is not available to such an infant, it is important to make the right choice of formula. Modern formulas for artificial feeding of newborns and infants have a number of useful properties due to the features of the composition, which bring them as close as possible to breast milk, specially designed to provide adequate nutrition and simultaneously perform therapeutic tasks.

Machine-learning models to predict myopia in children and adolescents.

To explore machine-learning applications in myopia prediction and analyze the influencing factors of myopia. Stratified cluster random sampling was used to select elementary school students in Shenzhen, China for inclusion in this case-control study. Myopia screening, ocular biological parameter measurements, and questionnaires were conducted. Random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), extreme gradient boosting trees (XGBoost), support vector machine (SVM), and logistic regression (LR) algorithms were used to construct five myopia prediction models using R software (version 4.3.0). These myopia prediction models were used to investigate the relationship between ocular biological parameters, environmental factors, behavioral factors, genetic factors, and myopia. This study included 2,947 elementary school students, with a myopia prevalence rate of 47.2%. All five prediction models had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) above 0.75, with prediction accuracy and precision exceeding 0.70. The AUCs in the testing set were 0.846, 0.837, 0.833, and 0.815 for SVM, LR, RF, and XGBoost, respectively, indicating their superior predictive performance to that of DT (0.791). In the RF model, the five most important variables were axial length, age, sex, maternal myopia, and feeding pattern. LR identified axial length was the most significant risk factor for myopia [odds ratio (OR) =8.203], followed by sex (OR = 2.349), maternal myopia (OR = 1.437), Reading and writing posture (OR = 1.270), infant feeding pattern (OR = 1.207), and age (OR = 1.168); corneal radius (OR = 0.034) and anterior chamber depth (OR = 0.516) served as protective factors. Myopia prediction models based on machine learning demonstrated favorable predictive performance and accurately identified myopia risk factors, and may therefore aid in the implementation of myopia prevention and control measures among high-risk individuals.

Non-Nutritive Suck and Parent Report of Feeding Skills in Infants Born With Cleft Lip and/or Palate

Objective To compare non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and caregiver-reported feeding skills in infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) to a control group of typically developing infants without CL/P. To examine differences in NNS patterns and feeding behavior between cleft phenotypes. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study comparing infants born with CL/P to an age-matched control group with no congenital anomalies. Setting Urban, academic, tertiary care children's hospital and academic department of speech-language pathology. Patients, Participants Forty-two infants (21 with CL/P; 21 without CL/P), 6 months of age and younger were included. Infants with syndromes or who underwent cleft repair were excluded. Main Outcome Measures A 5min NNS sample was collected from the infant sucking on the lab's custom research pacifier. The infant's caregiver completed the Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool (NeoEAT) bottle-feeding section about their infant's feeding behaviors. Results Infants with CL/P demonstrated slower NNS frequency ( P = .04) and reduced suck amplitude ( P = .04) compared to the control group. Caregivers of infants with CL/P reported a higher incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms ( P = .04) and overall feeding difficulties ( P = .03) relative to the control group. There were no significant differences between CL/P phenotypes for NNS or caregiver reported outcomes. Conclusions Infants with CL/P demonstrate differences in NNS physiology and caregiver report measures of feeding compared to age-matched controls. These findings support the need for interventions to optimize sucking and feeding skill development in infants with CL/P.

Simulation of Infant Suction Vacuum Pressure using WGAN

In this study, it is aimed to simulate infant suction vacuums by replicating infant suction vacuum pressures with the Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network (WGAN) model. To understand the physiology of infants' feeding behavior, it is very important to understand the physiology of sucking. One of the most important elements of feeding physiology is the infant suction vacuum. In this context, the infant suction vacuum pressure produced by the WGAN model was successfully simulated. Data preprocessing and hyperparameter optimization were performed to ensure the most accurate simulation of the WGAN model used in the study. As a result, the low RMSE and high R2 value between the real data and the generated data show that the model works successfully. This method is promising in terms of better understanding the sucking behavior of infants and contributing to solving problems in the field of infant feeding. In the future, infant sucking simulation will be more successful if the model is supported with larger data and other elements of infant sucking physiology such as swallowing and respiration are considered. This kind of simulation will pave the way for new applications in the fields of infant feeding and breastfeeding.

Individual and community level determinants of minimum meal frequency among breastfeeding children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of 2019 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey data.

Minimum meal frequency (MMF) is a vital indicator of whether a child's energy needs are being met. Previous studies in Ethiopia on MMF have primarily focused on individual factors, often using basic logistic regression models with limited scope and small sample sizes. In contrast, this study aims to identify the key determinants of MMF among breastfed children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia, examining both individual and community-level factors through multilevel logistic regression analysis, utilizing nationally representative data. The study utilized a community-based cross-sectional design with a sample of 1,245 6-23 month breastfed children in Ethiopia, using data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic Health Survey. Mixed effect logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with MMF. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess variable associations, while Intra-cluster correlation (ICC), median odds ratio (MOR), and proportional change in variance (PCV) were employed to gauge random variation. The proportion of 6-23-month breastfeeding children with MMF was found to be 55.9% (95% CI: 53.2, 58.6). In mixed effect logistic regression; breastfeeding initiation time within days after birth [AOR = 0.44; 95%CI: (0.24, 0.80)], maternal primary educational level [AOR = 1.46; 95%CI: (1.03, 2.05)], maternal higher level education [AOR = 2.43; 95%CI: (1.22, 4.81)] and children from wealthiest household wealth index [AOR = 2.13; 95%CI: (1.04, 4.33)] were individual-level factors and children from city-based regions [AOR = 1.75; 95%CI: (1.10, 2.77)] was community level factors significantly associated with MMF. The final model indicates that 50.8% of the variation in MMF was explained by combined factors at both individual and community levels and also the variation across clusters remained statistically significant (ICC = 8.1% and variance = 0.29 with p < 0.001). Minimum meal frequency is a proxy for meeting energy requirements and it is a key indicator of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practice. According to this study finding, the prevalence of MMF among 6-23-month children in Ethiopia was found to be low. The study also suggest that time of breastfeeding initiation, women's educational level, household wealth index, and contextual region were factors significantly associated with MMF. It is recommended that IYCF strategies should be implemented widely through women's education and empowerment and promoting early initiation of breast feeding to increase the proportion of children to be fed with MMF appropriate for their age.

Maternal Perceptions and Feeding Practices Associated with Infant Nutritional Status.

Malnutrition in early childhood has long-term health consequences, including increased obesity risk due to catch-up growth in undernourished infants. While maternal perceptions and feeding practices affect infant malnutrition, limited evidence exists in middle-income countries like Mexico. This study examines the associations between maternal perceptions, feeding practices, and nutritional status in infants aged 6-12 months in northeastern Mexico. A total of 192 mother-infant dyads were assed using questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Maternal variables included perception of hunger and satiety, infant weight perception, feeding attitudes, self-efficacy, fatigue, and feeding practices. Infant nutritional status was determined using WHO Anthro, and multiple logistic regression identified associations between maternal and infant factors and nutritional status. 38% of infants were overweight/obese, and 7% were underweight. Low maternal self-efficacy, low perception of hunger and satiety signs, non-recommended feeding attitudes, and inaccurate perception of infant weight were identified. Maternal nocturnal sleep hours, type of feeding, and feeding frequency were associated to underweight. The maternal perception of infant weight was inaccurate for both underweight (mothers overestimate the weight) and overweight/obese (mothers underestimate the weight) infants. The main maternal perception influencing infant nutritional status was inaccurate weight perception. Mothers demonstrated limited knowledge and negative feeding practices with non-recommended feeding practices among Mexican mothers. Longer maternal sleep duration (> 8h/night) was associated with underweight infants.

Nutritional Evaluation and Sensory Description of Five Porridges Formulated from Certain Local Commodities for Use as Supplementary Foods for Children in Côte d’Ivoire

The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutritional, vitamin and sensory potential of porridges for infant feeding. Endeed, malnutrition in weaning infants and young children is a major public health and social problem in developing countries. It is therefore essential to develop appropriate complementary food formulations to address this problem. In this context, different flours have been developed from local raw materials (cereals and pulses) in combination with other ingredients. Five porridges, B1F, B2F, B3F, B4F and B5F were prepared from five flours formulated with several ingredients according to the PNN method. Biochemical, fonctional and nutritional analyses were carried out on the porridges obtained as well as hedonic tests. Results showed that these porridges are rich in proteins (15.93-22.36%) and lipids (19.93-26.80%), with an energy density above the recommended limit for porridges used as complementary foods. Due to their high viscosity (1.90 Pa/s), B1F and B5F porridges would be more suitable for young children. Porridges B1F, B2F and B3F were the most popular due to their sweet, milky flavour. Porridges B4F 449.4 ± 0.07µg/100g and B5F (628,00 ±1,00 µg/100g stand out for their high vitamin A content, while B2F (30.20) and B3F (34.10 mg/100g) have the highest vitamin E content.