Nutritional Status Of Infants Research Articles

The Relationship of Breastfeeding Patterns with The Nutritional Status of Infants 6–24 Months

Babies who are exclusively breastfed will get all the advantages of breast milk and maximum nutrition. On the other hand, the incidence of malnutrition in the future is largely determined by breastfeeding patterns. The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between breastfeeding patterns and the nutritional status of babies aged 6–24 months at the Islamic Boarding School I Community Health Center, Kediri City. This study used a cross-sectional design. The research population was mothers who had babies aged 6–24 months at the Pesantren I Health Center in Kediri City in August–October 2023, for a total of 150 babies. The research sample consisted of several mothers who had babies aged 6–24 months at the Pesantren I Health Center in Kediri City who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were 110 respondents. The research instrument for assessing breastfeeding patterns uses a questionnaire, while nutritional status is assessed using height and weight measurements. Data analysis used the Spearman rho statistical test. Half of the mothers had a pattern of predominant breastfeeding, namely 50%. Based on nutritional status, undernutrition 28.2%,. The Lambda test results show p = 0.016, meaning that there was a relationship between breastfeeding patterns and the nutritional status of children aged 6-24 months. The magnitude of the correlation was 0.152 which indicates the correlation very weak category. Breast milk given exclusively during the first 6 months of life can provide sufficient nutrition for the baby's growth and development.

HUBUNGAN POLA ASUH DAN PEMBERIAN ASI EKSKLUSIF DENGAN STATUS GIZI BAYI DI KLINIK SARGIATI Amd.Keb TAHUN 2023

The focus on improving public nutrition in Indonesia remains centered on addressing the nutritional status of Indonesian children. According to the 2014 Global Nutrition Report (GNR), Indonesia is one of 17 out of 117 countries facing the triple burden of stunting, wasting, and overweight among infants or toddlers within the first days of life. Despite efforts, exclusive breastfeeding rates in Indonesia have not met the targeted 80%. In 2016, exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants aged 0-5 months were at 54.0%, while only 29.5% were exclusively breastfed up to 6 months. Although South Sumatra province has surpassed the national average with a rate of 60.4%, it still falls short of the desired 80%. Researchers focused on the Sargiati Amd clinic, particularly exploring the correlation between parenting styles, exclusive breastfeeding, and infant nutritional status. Among the 19 respondents, the majority exhibited a certain parenting style. Among them, 11 individuals had good nutritional status (36.7%), while 8 had poor nutritional status (36.7%). Only a minority (6.7%) had poor nutritional status. Surprisingly, among those with good parenting habits, the majority had poor nutritional status (23.3%), while the minority had good nutritional status (13.3%). Statistical analysis using a chi-square test with a significance level of 0.05 yielded a p-value of 0.256 (P > 0.05), indicating acceptance of the null hypothesis (Ho) and rejection of the alternative hypothesis (Ha). Thus, no significant relationship was found between parenting style and nutritional status. However, there was a significant relationship between parents' eating habits and healthy habits with nutritional status (p = 0.014; p = 0.006).

Baby-friendly workplace initiatives in child feeding practice as predictors of infant and young child anthropometric indices in public health facilities of Southern Ethiopia

BackgroundBaby-friendly workplace is an effective evidence based initiative developed by the World Health Organization to protect and support maternal knowledge, beliefs, and confidence in infant and young child feeding practices. However, studies that show the effect of the baby-friendly workplace initiative on the nutritional status of infant and young children are not available in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status among baby friendly initiatives service utlizers and non utlizers children age 6–24 months in public health facilities of Southern Ethiopia.MethodsWe conducted a comparative cross-sectional study from 1 to 30 June 2022 among 220 mothers with children aged 6–24 months. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epidata Software version 4.2 and then exported to IBM SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Chi-square and Fisher exact test were used to assess the differences between users and non-users of the baby friendly workplace initiative. Logistic regression model was used to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was computed. P-values < 0.05 at a 95% confidence level were considered statistically significant.ResultThe mean (SD) scores of weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ), and weight for height (WHZ) were − 0.38 (1.34),-0.17(2.62) and-0.35 (1.84) respectively. After adjusting for covariates, children aged 6–24 months who did not use baby friendly workplace initiatives were 2.26 times more likely to have stunting compared to the users of baby friendly workplace initiative (AOR 2.26, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.88). However, both wasting (AOR: 0.42; 95% CI:0.13, 1.37) and underweight (AOR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.45, 2.60) were not significantly associated with the use of baby friendly workplace initiatives.ConclusionThe use of baby friendly work place initiatives was successful in improving nutritional status, specifically chronic malnutrition in children. Strengthening and scaling up the baby friendly work place initiative program has the potential to reduce chronic malnutrition in Ethiopia and other similar settings with high burden of malnutrition areas, by implementing it in public facilities.

Nutritional status of infants and young children in India across three decades: Analysis of five national family health surveys.

Three indicators of early childhood undernutrition and associated factors are evaluated among under-5 children in five National Family Health Surveys in India spanning 1992 to 2021. Data for 533,495 children under 5 years of age (U-5) were analysed in the context of three commonly used indicators of early childhood undernutrition - wasting, stunting and underweight. In addition to descriptive and inferential statistics, binary logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of specific explanatory factors on the three indicators using adjusted odds ratios. Over the three-decade interval, stunting was reduced by 22.1% in boys and 20.9% in girls, followed by underweight, 19.3% in boys and 17.4% in girls; wasting, in contrast, was reduced to a considerably lesser extent, 2.8% in boys and 0.9% in girls. Demographic, maternal and socioeconomic factors were associated with the incidence of early childhood undernutrition, specifically among young mothers and those with less education in low-income families, and among children from Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes. Stunting and underweight declined significantly over the past three decades while wasting changed negligibly. The disparity in the occurrence of early childhood undernutrition was apparent throughout socioeconomic categories and regions of India. The results highlight the need for special programs aimed at reducing waste among children and also the need for customized initiatives focused on the improvement of maternal education and wealth in addition to other ancillary factors related to regional variation.

The Effects of Different Feeding Practices on the Nutritional Status of Infants below 12 Months Old in the Kumba 1 Sub-Division

The Effects of Different Feeding Practices on the Nutritional Status of Infants below 12 Months Old in the Kumba 1 Sub-Division

Association Between Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status Among Children Aged 6 to 24 Months in Terengganu

Infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) have an important role in defining children's nutritional status and optimizing a child's development rate in the first two years of life. This study aimed to determine the association between infant and young child feeding practices and the nutritional status of children aged 6 to 24 months in Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. A total of 293 mothers and children aged between 6 to 24 months were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics comprised weight and height/length. The nutritional status of the children, namely weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), height/length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) and weight-for-length z-scores (WLZ) were generated based on WHO Child Growth Standard. IYCF practices among participants were determined using a validated questionnaire adapted from FAO. A total of 52.2% boys and 47.8% girls participated in this study. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children were 26.3%, 6.8%, and 14.7% respectively. The majority (70.6%) of the participants have good practice on IYCF. However, there is no significant association between IYCF practices and the nutritional status of the children (p&gt;0.05). In conclusion, the majority of the participants have good practice with IYCF and only 1.7% have poor practice. Therefore, by promoting the IYCF practices, it can be a great tool to assess the health status of the children.

Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Status: An Association Among the Elderly

Background: Old age and nutrition have become a Global challenge. Inadequate dietary intake arises mostly as a result of physiological changes which contribute to malnutrition. Studies conducted in India focused mainly on the Nutritional Status of Infants and Pregnant women, leaving out this important age group which is also vulnerable to malnutrition. The focus of this study was to find out the dietary diversity and its association with nutritional status among the rural elderly. Materials and Methods: This study was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 200 elderly participants from twelve selected villages in Chengalpattu district by multistage random sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire obtained from the Food and Agricultural Organization was used to find out Dietary Diversity. Nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutrition Assessment tool and Anthropometric indices. The collected data was analysed using SPSS version 21. Results: The mean dietary diversity score was 7.2±1.8. 37% of respondents with dietary diversity scores below the mean value were considered to have Inadequate dietary diversity while 63 % consume diverse diets. Nutritional assessment based on WHO BMI standards revealed undernutrition among 21.5% of respondents while 60% were of normal weight. Chi-square revealed a statistically significant association between Dietary Diversity and Nutritional status (p value=0.000) Conclusion: The present study found that most study participants were consuming a diverse diet and those subjects with better dietary diversity scores had their Body Mass Index in the normal range. This indicates that adequate dietary diversity can contribute to the attainment of optimum nutritional status.

Association between infant and young child feeding indicators and the nutritional status of children aged 6-23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province in 2019

To estimate the status of complementary feeding among infants and young children aged 6-23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province. The association between infant and young child feeding indicators and child undernutrition were assessed. A total of 1220 infants and young children aged 6-23 months from 24 investigated places of 6 cities in Hunan Province were selected by multi-stage stratified sampling for physical measurement, hemoglobin(Hb) test and caregiver interview. Complementary diet was analyzed according to the World Health Organization&apos;s definition of infant and young child feeding indicators. Z-scores were used to elevate nutrition status. Logistic regression models were used to explore the influencing factors of the nutritional status. The prevalence rates of underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight, obesity and anemia were 3.6%, 4.8%, 2.7%, 10.5%, 2.0% and 16.3%. The percentage of infants and young children aged 6-23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province who get minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, and minimum acceptable diet was 43.3%, 68.5% and 28.1%. None of the individual infant and young child feeding indicators showed significant association with undernutrition, except minimum meal frequency for obesity and anemia. The nutritional status of infants and young children in rural areas of Hunan Province has improved, but the anemia problem is still serious. Complementary feeding frequency is closely associated with anemia for infants and young children.

Anthropometric Differences in Community- Versus Clinic-Recruited Infants Participating in a Trial of Azithromycin for Prevention of Childhood Mortality in Burkina Faso.

Clinic-based recruitment for preventative interventions for child health may select for healthier populations compared with community-based outreach. Nutritional status during infancy as measured by anthropometry is predictive of mortality, growth faltering later in life, and poor cognitive development outcomes. We evaluated baseline differences in infant nutritional status among children recruited directly in their community versus clinic recruitment among infants participating in a trial of azithromycin compared with placebo for prevention of mortality in three districts of Burkina Faso. Infants between 5 and 12 weeks of age were recruited in their community of residence via vaccine outreach teams or in primary health-care clinics during vaccine clinics. Weight, height, and mid upper arm circumference were measured. We used linear and logistic regression models to compare anthropometric outcomes among community and clinic recruited infants, adjusting for age at enrollment, gender, and season. Among 32,877 infants enrolled in the trial, 21,273 (64.7%) were recruited via community outreach. Mean weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) was -0.60 ± 1.2 (SD), weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) was -0.16 ± 1.5, and length-for-age z-score was-0.53 ± 1.3. Infants enrolled in the community had lower WAZ (mean difference, -0.12; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.04) and WLZ (mean difference, -0.21; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.09). Community-recruited infants were more often underweight (WAZ < -2; odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.09-1.43) and wasted (WLZ < -2; OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.31-1.79). There was no evidence of a difference in height-based measures. Community and clinic recruitment likely reach different populations of children.

Evaluating the Relationship Between Maternal Postpartum Depression, Infant Feeding Practices, and Infant Nutritional Status at a Maternity Hospital in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Postpartum depression is a major maternal mental problem that has been shown to contribute to malnutrition in infants. This cross-sectional study explores the association between maternal postpartum depression (PPD) and infant feeding practices as well as infant nutritional status among infants aged 6-14 weeks at Eldoret West Maternity Hospital (EWMH) in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study involved 257 women of reproductive age with infants aged 6-14 weeks postpartum attending postnatal and maternal and child health clinics at EWMH. Data was collected using a modified Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to screen for PPD and other questionnaires to gather sociodemographic information, feeding practices, and infant nutritional status. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between maternal PPD, infant feeding practices, and nutritional status. The prevalence of maternal PPD was 17.5%, with 1 in 6 mothers affected. Exclusive breastfeeding was practiced by 94.6% of mothers, exceeding the national level of 60%. Mothers with PPD were more likely to practice nonexclusive breastfeeding and were 1.4, 1.8, and 1.6 times more likely to have stunted, wasted, and underweight infants respectively than mothers without PPD though the association was not statistically significant after adjusting for confounders.Maternal PPD is prevalent among mothers at EWMH and is more likely to influence infant feeding practices particularly non-exclusive breastfeeding and nutritional status. Stunting, wasting and underweight were prevalent in infants of mothers with PPD. These findings underscore the importance of integrating mental health and nutritional support services for mothers and infants in maternal healthcare settings. Early identification and intervention for maternal PPD can help improve infant feeding practices and nutritional outcomes, promoting the well-being of both mothers and their infants.

Difference Between Breastfeeding and Complementary food with Nutritional Status in Infants Aged 6-24 Months in the Working Area of the Pare Health Center

Background: The problem of malnutrition in toddlers is the impact of low exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months and improper breastfeeding because it is given too early or too late, the amount is not enough to meet the needs of growth and development of babies at each age stage. Objective: to determine the difference between breastfeeding and MP-ASI with nutritional status in infants aged 6-24 months. Method: This study used a cross-sectional design. The study sample was mothers who had babies aged 6-24 months as many as 30 respondents with 2 groups of breastfeeding and MP-ASI (15 respondents per group) using quota sampling. The research was placed in the working area of the Pare Health Center for 2 weeks with questionnaire instruments according to the experience of breastfeeding and MP-ASI, as well as Z score measurement. Analysis of paired sample t-test. Results: The results of this study showed that most of the 15 respondents breastfeeding had less nutritional status as many as 9 respondents (60%), while of the 15 respondents of MP-ASI most had good nutritional status as many as 10 respondents (66.7%). Conclusion: Families must be more careful in understanding the nutritional needs of infants with a combination of nutritional content needed by the body in accordance with the stage of development and nutritional needs in infants aged 6-24 months.

Measuring growth in critically ill neonates and children.

Critical illness increases the risk of malnutrition in both infants and children. Malnutrition risk is multifactorial and includes premorbid factors as well as changes in nutrient metabolism and energy demands during critical illness. Inadequate nutrition has been linked to poor health outcomes and prolonged length of stay in the intensive care unit, demonstrating the importance of both recognizing and addressing malnutrition in this population. Assessing growth and identifying malnutrition requires methodical measurement of growth and a collaborative, multimodal approach to nutrition assessment. Among the nutrition assessment and growth evaluation tools, neonatal, preterm, pediatric, and disease-specific growth charts remain an important component of growth assessment and should be used along with a nutrition-focused physical examination. Routine measurement promotes the identification of potential growth delays that may require interventions. Indirect calorimetry adds an additional layer of detail for a complete picture of each infant or child's unique nutrition status and progress. Quality improvement research on a national level is urgently needed to assess the adequacy and availability of resources in neonatal and pediatric critical care units and to further the development of standard clinical outcome measures for nutrition assessment and intervention in the critically ill neonate and child.

Effect of feeding pattern on the stage of primary dentition eruption in relation to growth parameters

Background: Feeding is a complicated process that involves the coordination of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal (GI), and oropharyngeal mechanisms, with support from the musculoskeletal and craniofacial systems. The practice of feeding could be correlated with eruption stage and nutritional status in infants. Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess the relation of feeding patterns to a selected oral variable (stage of the eruption of primary teeth) and growth parameters among clinically healthy infants. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study on a sample of (300) infants aged between 6 and 18 months was performed in Karbala City, Iraq. The feeding pattern was investigated using an information sheet answered by parents. The stage of dental emergence was evaluated through intraoral examination. Growth parameters (height, weight, head circumference) were analyzed. Results: Bottle-fed infants had higher total tooth eruption incidence and nutritional status than the other feeding groups, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Bottle-fed infants had the highest mean of erupted primary teeth and nutritional status.

Associating dietary quality and forest cover in India

With the global population expected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, there is growing concern for how increasing demands for high-quality, sustainable diets will be met. Whilst food production and environmental conservation are often viewed as competing land uses, a growing body of literature supports the importance of forests in providing food and nutritional security. This study used data from India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) on food consumption and nutritional status in infants and young children aged 6–59 months and tree cover data to examine the statistical associations between tree coverage and indicators of nutritional health in India – a country home to >200 million of the world's undernourished, a rising double burden of malnutrition, and with vast forest and tree cover. In analyses conducted, tree cover was positively associated with higher dietary diversity in infants and young children aged 6–23 months, and with reduced likelihood of stunting and wasting in children aged under 5 yrs. in areas with the highest tree coverages, after controlling for other possible variables. These relationships do not always hold at regional level; further work is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying the relationships examined within given contexts. Overall, these findings indicate the potential for forests and trees to contribute to quality diets in India. In emphasising the potential complementarity between environmental conservation and food provisioning, this work has important implications for food security and environmental policy.

Clustering of Child Nutrition Status using Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering Algorithm in Bekasi City

Clustering infant nutrition based on weight, height, and age is a data analysis method used to group infant nutritional status based on these characteristics. The research on clustering infant nutrition aims to analyze whether there are still many infants in the area with insufficient or excessive nutrition, and to identify groups of infants requiring special attention regarding their nutritional intake. In the analysis of infant nutrition clustering, data on weight, height, and age of infants are collected and then grouped based on similarities in body height and weight at certain ages. The method used in this research is hierarchical clustering, which can help in grouping the data. Clustering analysis can help understand how infants' feeding patterns vary based on their weight, height, and age. The results of research on clustering infant nutrition based on weight, height, and age can provide valuable insights for nutrition experts, pediatricians, and community health workers in developing appropriate intervention programs to improve infant feeding patterns and meet their nutritional needs. Additionally, the results of clustering infant nutrition can also be used to identify groups of infants requiring special attention regarding their nutritional needs, thus minimizing the risk of malnutrition and unhealthy growth in infants.

Human Milk Oligosaccharide Associated with Infant Nutritional Status and Macroscopic Stool Examination among Stunted Infants in Malang Indonesia

Human Milk Oligosaccharide Associated with Infant Nutritional Status and Macroscopic Stool Examination among Stunted Infants in Malang Indonesia

STUDI ANALITIK ASUPAN ZAT GIZI MAKRO DENGAN STATUS GIZI PADA BATITA

There was a drastic decline in production activities that affected per capita income, this was caused by a prolonged economic crisis. This also causes inadequate food consumption which will have an impact on the nutritional status and health of the community, especially for Three-Year-Old Babies. This study aims to determine the relationship between intake of macronutrients and nutritional status in infants under three years of age (toddlers). This research method uses a correlation-analytic quantitative design with a cross-sectional study approach, with a total sample of 89. The research was conducted in the range from March to August 2022 in the working area of ​​the Pertiwi Health Center, Makassar City. Data collection was carried out through direct interviews with respondents using a questionnaire. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Data analysis from 89 toddlers showed that 57.3% were undernourished and there was a relationship between energy, protein and carbohydrate intake and nutritional status. Therefore, it is recommended that mothers provide foods rich in energy sources, such as vegetable and animal protein, as well as carbohydrates, to prevent malnutrition. In addition, children need to be given protein foods such as fish, tempeh, eggs, meat and nuts. It is also important to maintain the cleanliness of children to avoid infections that have an impact on malnutrition problems. Actively participating in counselling is also recommended to obtain new information about improving the nutritional status of toddlers

Nutritional status of Vietnamese infants assessed by Fenton growth chart and related factors: A cross-sectional study.

Nutritional status of infants, measured by birth weight and length, is an essential factor in neonatal development. Malnutrition in newborns may lead to a higher risk of mortality, neurological and cognitive impairment, and poor language development. This study aims to assess the nutritional status of infants and related factors regarding maternal anthropometric characteristics and medical history. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vietnam from May 2021 to May 2022 on 340 infants and mothers. Low birth weight was defined following the Intergrowth-21 standards. Stunting was evaluated using the Fenton growth chart when the length was below the 10% percentile line of the gestational week. Multivariate regression models were applied to identify factors associated with the nutritional status of infants. We found that 12.4% and 14.1% of infants in our study fell into stunted and underweight categories, respectively. Infants of mothers over 35 years old, having a height lower than 150 cm or experiencing anemia during pregnancy were more likely to be stunted or have low birth weight. Serum albumin deficiency during pregnancy was strongly associated with the infant being underweight (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.1-7.3). Newborns were more likely to be stunted if their mothers had a history of preterm birth (OR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1-10.2). Maternal nutritional status is closely related to infant malnutrition, particularly in preterm infants. Improving the understanding of mothers regarding prenatal care, reproductive healthcare, adequate nutritional diet, and multi-micronutrient supplements during pregnancy is therefore important.

Immune Response and Nutritional Status of Infants’ Birth after Supplementation with Dadih and Zinc during Pregnancy: A Prospective Intervention Study

BACKGROUND: Dadih is an Indonesian traditional fermented buffalo milk produced and consumed by the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) level and nutritional status of infants aged 4–10 months. AIM: This study aims to assess the effect of dadih and zinc supplementation given to pregnant mothers for 6 months on fecal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in two districts on 138 pregnant mothers for 6 months, randomly assigned into three groups, namely, control, dadih, combination of dadih and zinc groups. Then, the combination of groups was supplemented to expecting mothers, respectively, 6 times a week during 6 months. Anthropometric measurement and fecal sIgA of infants were assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of nutritional status of infants who mothers were supplemented during pregnancy with dadih, dadih and zinc, and, normal diet, respectively, are 10% stunting, 5.0% underweight, and 5.0% wasting infants; and 22.5% stunted, 20.0% underweight, and 5.0% wasting infants were found in expecting mothers supplemented with it and without any supplementation (control group). The percentage of stunting in 8 months and older infants tended to reduce: 28.57%, 31.25%, and 11.76%. Their mothers were supplemented with all groups. CONCLUSION: Dadih and zinc are potential for improving nutritional status of the newborn. In addition, the two types of supplementation are recommended to pregnant mothers, to reduce the prevalence of stunting. Potential probiotic contained in Dadih which consumed in adequate amounts can help the absorption of nutrients and increase immunity of mothers and infants amounts confer a health benefit. Acceleration and growth of infants to achieve optimal growth and development should be carried out before they are under two years old.

Fish Consumption Improved Head Circumference and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference among Infants in Zambia: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Fish is a good source of Animal Source Proteins (ASP). Families from low-income countries with limited access to other animal source proteins can utilize it to improve the nutrition status of infants and young children. The objective of the study was to assess if fish fed during the early complementary feeding period had an effect on improved head circumference (HC) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) among infants aged 6–7 months. A randomised controlled trial was conducted from April 2019 to January 2020 in the Samfya district, Luapula Province, Zambia. The infants (238) were randomised to either the fish group (intervention) or the sorghum group (control). Every week for a period of 6 months, infants received seven sachets of fish powder and sorghum powder, respectively. Compliance was also monitored during the fish powder distribution. The head circumference measurements were conducted at baseline and once each follow-up month for a period of six months while the MUAC measurements were conducted twice (at baseline and endline). Using statistical software for data science (STATA) (version 16), a linear mixed effect model was used to analyse the data. The results showed that fish improved head circumference for age z score (HCZ) by 0.53 (95% CI: 0.23–0.82), p-value &lt; 0.001, and MUAC by 0.36 (95% CI: 0.13–0.59) p-value &lt; 0.002. Therefore, fish can be used as the main source of protein in complementary foods for infants and young children in low-income communities with limited access to meat.