Young Child Feeding Practices Research Articles

Health seeking behaviors and childcare patterns in an informal settlement of Nairobi, Kenya: A cross-sectional study.

Children in urban informal settlements experience high risks for poor health and development. Understanding health seeking behaviors and childcare patterns of caregivers in urban informal settlements is important for devising effective interventions. This study describes household characteristics and aspects of nurturing care among caregivers of children aged 0-2 years in Dagoretti informal settlement, Nairobi-Kenya. In this cross sectional study, data were collected on household socio-demographic characteristics, antenatal care and child delivery practices, infant and young child feeding practices, activities that promote play, learning and school readiness, and on childcare and protection practices. Descriptive statistics of proportions and means were used to summarize the data. The study covers a total of 458 Kenyan and 118 immigrant households. Caregivers from immigrant households, with low education and from the younger age-group (less than 20 years) were vulnerable to sub-optimal caregiving and health seeking practices, including relatively lower rates of age-appropriate breastfeeding and poor dietary diversity. Seventy-five percent of expectant mothers attended less than four antenatal care visits. Households surveyed had limited possession of children's books (2% with three or more books), limited access to play materials (43% had two or more play materials), and low paternal involvement in child stimulation and early learning activities (14%). One-third and half of the children were left with inadequate care and disciplined using both violent and non-violent methods, respectively. Our findings highlight the urgent need for contextually appropriate and integrated interventions anchored in the WHO's nurturing care framework. These interventions can benefit from extensive involvement of caregivers, facility and community-based healthcare workers, policy makers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Mapping and determinants of consumption of egg and/or flesh foods and zero vegetables or fruits among young children in SSA

Zero vegetable or fruit and egg and/or flesh foods are the latest indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices. Understanding national and subnational heterogeneity and regional clustering in children with SSA is becoming increasingly essential for geographic targeting and policy prioritization. Geographical case identification, determinants, and impacts were all investigated. SSA children's consumption of vegetable or fruit, egg and/or flesh food, and both were low. In SSA, some portions of the Southern, South direction of the Western and Central regions have a lower weight of all bad conditions than others, although children continue to suffer in considerable numbers in all disadvantage circumstances. Children under the age of 1 year, from rural areas, uneducated families, and low income were all disadvantaged by both feeding techniques. To improve child nutrition status, multisectoral collaboration is essential. This framework allows for the tracking, planning, and implementation of nutritional treatments.

Lack of adherence to complementary feeding in middle socioeconomic status Pakistani infants and young children

PURPOSE. Nine- and one-half percent of Pakistani children under five years of age are overweight, compared to the worldwide estimate of 5.6%. To help prevent under and over nutrition WHO recommends assessing infant and young child feeding practices for targeted interventions. The objective of our study was to compare the dietary practices of metro and non-metro, middle socioeconomic class Pakistani children to WHO guidelines.
 METHODS. Trained female interviewers went door to door in arbitrarily selected middle-class neighborhoods of 7 cities and if children aged 6-23 months resided in the household, their mothers were asked to answer a questionnaire about their children’s initial and complementary feeding practices and specifically, their intake in the previous 24 hours. Results of the survey were compared to WHO recommendations.
 RESULTS. The questionnaire was completed by 192 mothers. Results indicated that 27% of sample children had already received some food apart from any milk before age 6 months; for 6% this had occurred before the age of 3 months. In the 7–12-month-old group, 11% had not yet received any complementary foods while this was the case for 6% of those aged 13–23-months. Only 49% of the 12-17-month-old and 60% of the 18-23 achieved minimum dietary diversity. Of the 13–23-month-olds, 80% routinely received sucrose-added foods and 71%, soft drinks.
 CONCLUSIONS. Major deviations from WHO recommendations were observed. These included inadequate food diversity, early and late introduction of complementary feedings, and routine feeding of sweetened foods and beverages. These findings should be taken into consideration when implementing educational measures for infant and young child feeding.

Association Between Nutrition Social Behavior Change Communication and Improved Caregiver Health and Nutrition Knowledge and Practices in Rural Tanzania.

BackgroundEfforts to improve infant and young child feeding practices include the use of nutrition behavior change communication among caregivers of children under 5 years. We assessed the association between monthly participation in community-level nutrition group meetings on caregiver health and nutrition knowledge and practices (KPs).MethodsData from a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in the Eastern and Southern Highland Zones of Tanzania were used. Indices were developed for caregivers' knowledge of nutrition, health and childcare, household (HDD) and young child dietary diversity (CDD), and vitamin A (VA) intakes. The comparison of means and proportions was assessed using Student's t-test and the Chi-square test, respectively, between the caregivers participating in nutrition group meetings and non-participants. The impact of the number of nutrition meeting attendance on caregiver KPs scores was examined using multiple regression.ResultsOf 547 caregivers surveyed, 49.7% attended nutrition group meetings and received information on nutrition social behavior change communication (SBCC). Overall, 28% of participating women had a moderate level of nutrition knowledge, 62% had a high level of VA knowledge, and 57% had a high level of health and childcare knowledge. Participation in nutrition group meetings was significantly associated with the health and childcare knowledge score (HKS), HDD and CDD scores, and household and young child VA intake; the magnitude of the associations was greater for caregivers who attended at least four meetings.ConclusionThe findings emphasize the need for programs that seek to address the issues present in the use of nutrition SBCC at the community level to improve maternal or caregiver KPs and subsequently the nutrition status of infants and young children.

Barriers and Facilitators to Optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the Central Region of Ghana: Perceptions of Heath Care Providers

ObjectivesThis qualitative study sought to describe provider’s perspectives on barriers and facilitators to optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices (primarily exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), meal frequency, and diet diversity) among caregivers in Central Region of Ghana. MethodsQualitative data were collected through audiotaped in-depth interviews with care providers from three districts within the Central Region of Ghana: Gomoa East, KEEA, and Assin South (N = 18). Interviews were conducted in English, were audio taped, and transcribed. Transcripts were read and coded independently by two authors, consensus was reached about emerging domains and themes, and a final codebook was developed. The socioecological model was used to map barriers and facilitators for EBF and complementary feeding (CF) practices. ResultsPreliminary findings showed that several barriers and facilitators were similar for EBF and CF within each level. Individual level barriers included returning to work, poor maternal hygiene and ill health, limited maternal IYCF knowledge. Additional EBF barriers included not recognizing early hunger signs, breast problems, perceived breastmilk insufficiency while additional CF barriers were related to food access, time for preparation, and food safety. Interpersonal barriers/facilitators included family/provider support, family cultural beliefs/practices, family influence on practices, provider IYCF knowledge/education delivery, role modeling. Community level barriers/facilitators were related to the built environment including access to health facility and sanitation as well as community-level characteristics such as illiteracy and traditional beliefs. Societal barriers/facilitators included industry advertising, and IYCF policies/guidelines. Poverty was identified as a cross-cutting barrier. Providers recommended intensifying IYCF counseling, home visits to address barriers and training IYCF counseling. ConclusionsProviders were aware of challenges caregivers face when trying to practice optimal IYCF. Multi-level interventions are needed, including IYCF counseling to address identified barriers. Funding SourcesThis study was funded by UNICEF-Ghana.

Behavior Change Communication Implemented at Scale in Nigeria Increases the Prevalence of Key Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Alive & Thrive Nigeria’s infant and young child feeding (IYCF) behavior change communication (BCC) activities, including interpersonal communication in health facilities, community mobilization, and mass media, on early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and minimum dietary diversity. MethodsLocal government areas in Kaduna and Lagos States were randomized to intervention or comparison and cross-sectional surveys of households with children aged 0–23 months [N = 6,266 baseline (2017), N = 7,320 endline (2020)] were conducted. Difference-in-differences and post-hoc baseline-endline models were used to measure intervention impacts. ResultsDifference-in-differences models showed no significant differences between the intervention and comparison areas in early initiation of breastfeeding (both states), exclusive breastfeeding (Kaduna), or minimum dietary diversity (both states). In Lagos, an 11.5 percentage point increase in exclusive breastfeeding in the intervention compared with the comparison area trended toward significance (P = 0.08). At endline, exposure to interpersonal communication, community mobilization, and mass media did not differ by study area in either state. Given the overall lack of differences in intervention exposure by study area, post-hoc baseline-endline analyses were performed with the study areas combined and increases were detected in early initiation of breastfeeding (Kaduna 40% to 46%, P = 0.05), exclusive breastfeeding (Kaduna 25% to 43%, P < 0.001), and minimum dietary diversity (Kaduna 20% to 41%, P < 0.001; Lagos 37% to 58%, P < 0.001). ConclusionsThis evaluation found minimal impacts of the Alive & Thrive intervention on IYCF practices in the difference-in-differences analysis because of intervention spillover to the comparison area. Increases in IYCF practices from baseline to endline were substantial and are likely attributable to the intervention, which was the major IYCF promotion activity in both states. Funding SourcesThis research was funded by the Alive & Thrive initiative, managed by FHI Solutions, and currently funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, the Tanoto Foundation, UNICEF, and the World Bank.

Male Partner Involvement in Complementary Feeding Practices Among Households With Children Aged 6–24 Months in Abim District, Uganda

ObjectivesGeneral Objective: To determine the level of male partner involvement in complementary feeding practices and associated factors among households with children aged 6–24 months in Abim District so as to devise most effective strategies, approaches and interventions for encouraging male partner involvement with a view of improving adoption of optimal complementary feeding practices in children aged 6–24 months. Research Questions - What is the level of male partner involvement in complementary feeding practices among households with children aged 6–24 months? - What factors are associated with male partner involvement in complementary feeding practices among households with children aged 6–24 months? MethodsA cross-sectional study involving both quantitative (382 mothers) and qualitative (2 FGDs and 2 KIIs) approaches was conducted. Data entry was done and checked for completeness and consistency using Epi Data 3.0. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics were used to define the characteristics of study participants. At bivariate analysis, Pearson’s chi square tests were used to establish the association between the dependent and each independent variable. At multivariate analysis, a binary logistic regression was executed to establish factors associated with male partner involvement in complementary feeding using odds ratios. Strength of association was determined at 5% level of significance (p < 0.05). ResultsThe level of male partner involvement in complementary feeding in this study was good (68%). It was associated with; tertiary education of mother (OR = 1.38, CI 95% = 0.01 to 0.08; p = 0.00), mothers in formal employment (OR = 1.03; CI 95% = 1.001 t0 3.05: p = 0.001), husbands in formal employment (OR = 1.75; CI 95%: 1.05 to 2.89; p = 0.021) and husbands aged between 25–29 years (OR = 3.73; CI 95% = 1.96 to 7.07; p = 0.002). ConclusionsMale partner involvement in complementary feeding in Abim district is good. It is associated with; formal employment for mothers and their partners, mothers with tertiary education, and husbands aged between 25–29 years. The government needs to strengthen multi-sectoral integration to address the gender gaps and barriers that hinder male partner involvement in the broader infant and young child feeding practices. Funding SourcesNone.

Infant and Young Child Feeding Perceptions and Practices Among Caregivers Living in Three Districts in the Central Region of Ghana

ObjectivesThis qualitative study sought to understand caregiver practices related to exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), meal frequency, diet diversity, and responsive feeding in rural communities in Ghana. MethodsFifty-two audio-taped in-depth interviews were conducted in local dialects with caregivers (teen and adult mothers, fathers, and grandmothers) of children younger than 1-year-old living in three districts in Ghana’s Central Region. Recordings were translated, transcribed into English, then read and coded independently by two authors. Consensus was reached on emerging domains and themes, and a final codebook was developed. ResultsCaregivers were knowledgeable about EBF and complementary feeding recommendations. However, preliminary findings showed that non-adherence to EBF was common. Water was fed to address perceived thirst and/or to soothe persistent crying. Perceived readiness for complementary foods was tied to the belief that, by 3–6 months, breastmilk could not satisfy hunger. From the sixth month, infants were fed at least three times, including night feeds, and perceived to be capable of eating any family foods if home prepared soft and not spicy. Caregivers understood that local proteins such as pounded dried fish could be added to soups and stews while egg yolk could be added to porridge. Responsive and non-responsive feeding practices emerged. Meals were fed using spoons, cups, and bowls, and caregivers constantly engaged and interacted with the child (cooing) to encourage eating. Caregivers were aware that introducing new foods may require several tries before acceptance and recommended patience and encouragement when offering new foods. Caregivers typically used time of day and incessant crying to recognize hunger, not knowing how to identify subtle hunger cues. Some misperceptions about early foods centered around illness, especially stomach aches and diarrhea, and how those might be a result of late night feeding or sugary foods/snacks. ConclusionsGaps were seen between caregiver knowledge of feeding recommendations and some infant and young child (IYCF) perceptions/practice. Caregivers in this population may benefit from targeted IYCF counseling to facilitate optimal caregiver practices. Funding SourcesThis study was funded by UNICEF-Ghana.

Influence of media (internet and smartphone applications) on infant and young child feeding practices among mothers of children under 5 years availing health care in a rural hospital in Ramanagara district, Karnataka

Background: Appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are a key strategy to reduce under-5 mortality. Increasing mobile technology penetration in rural areas can influence IYCF practices. Aims: This study aims to assess IYCF practices among mothers of children under 5, in a rural maternity hospital in Ramanagara district and its association with the use of various mass media including internet and smartphones. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 89 mothers and a pre-tested face-validated semi-structured interview schedule was administered to collect information regarding sociodemographic details, IYCF practices, and use of media. Results: The mean age of the study population was 23.84±3.5 years. About 44.9% of them had their last child in the age group of 6–24 months. About 87.6% of them were breastfed within the 1st h of birth. The mean age of starting complementary feeding was 7±2.6 months. About 98.9% had access to a smartphone, however, only 19.1% used WhatsApp videos and messages and 12.3% internet to search for information regarding IYCF practices. Almost all respondents reported health-care providers as their primary source of information regarding IYCF practices. Conclusion: IYCF practices of the study population were better than national average. These findings highlight the importance of the role of grassroot level workers and primary care physicians in imparting knowledge among mothers in IYCF practices. The scope of using media to bring about behavior change communication in this context can be explored.

Effectiveness of Educational intervention on Infant and Young Child feeding Practices among Pregnant women attending Antenatal Clinics of Urban Health Centers of Mysore

Social, Physical & Psychological problems contribute for the low feeding rates in India. Apart from this the lack of adequate information, awareness among the women regarding breastfeeding needs to be addressed at the grass root level. Keeping these factors in mind the study was planned with the objective of finding out if educational intervention brings any significant difference in the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards breastfeeding practices attending antenatal clinics of urban health center at Mysore.

The Philippines' snapshot situation of pregnancy-related and child feeding practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundMaternal, infant and young child health and nutrition are affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.AimThis study aimed to present the snapshot situation of maternal health practices of pregnant women including infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices of children under two during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA rapid nutrition assessment survey (RNAS) was conducted through phone interview in nine selected areas from November 3 to December 3, 2020. A multi-stage sampling design was employed in the selection of areas with low, medium, and high risk categories across the islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the Philippines. A total of 792 mother-child pairs, and 148 pregnant women were covered.ResultsMajority (84.5%) of pregnant women availed pre-natal check-ups, 82.4% of them had micronutrient supplements, of which 20.5% took IFA tablets. Almost 60.0% of children under two were currently breastfed during the pandemic, with 60.8% of infants less than 6 months receiving breastmilk exclusively. Appropriate complementary feeding practices based on this study were not drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, access to pregnancy-related information, along with breastfeeding and complementary feeding messages and advice were disrupted during the community lockdown.ConclusionAlthough maternal and child feeding practices were unchanged, innovative delivery of community health and nutrition services such as tele-visits by midwives, and community health workers are some of the ways to move forward in improving the health and nutrition of women and children in the wake of the pandemic and during subsequent waves.

Determinants of severe acute malnutrition among children aged 6—23 months in bahir dar city public hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020: a case control study

BackgroundSevere acute malnutrition is a major problem among developing countries and it is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in Ethiopia. The impact is more severe among children aged 6–23 months. Severely malnourished children are nine times more likely to die than healthy children. Identification of the determinants of severe acute malnutrition under the age of two years can significantly reduce the burden of child morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess determinants of severe acute malnutrition among children aged 6–23 months at Bahir Dar city public hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020.MethodsInstitutional-based unmatched case–control study was conducted among a total sample size of 201 children (67 cases and 134 controls) in Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Tibebe Ghion Specialized teaching hospital, from February 2020–March 2020. Children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition were considered as cases and children with other problems were control groups. The study participants were randomly selected from pediatrics units in the two specialized hospitals. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire through interviews and anthropometric measurements. The data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS software version 23 for analysis. Variables with (p < 0.25) in the bivariable analysis were entered into multivariable logistic regression. For multivariable analysis, a backward method was selected with a 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance was declared at P < 0.05.ResultsIn this study, 67 cases and 134 controls of children with their mothers had participated with an overall response rate of 100%. Family size > 5 [(AOR = 3.89, 95% CI:(1.19, -12.70)], average perceived birth weight [(AOR = 0.048, 95% CI: 0.015, -0.148)] and large perceived birth weight [(AOR = 0.023, 95% CI:(0.002, -0.271)], introduction of complementary feeding before six months [(AOR = 6.21, 95% CI: (1.44, -26.76)] and dietary diversity score < 5 groups [(AOR = 9.20, 95% CI; 3.40, -19.83)were significant factors associated with severe acute malnutrition.ConclusionIn this study, dietary diversity, family size, perceived birth weight, and initiation of complementary feeding were significantly associated with severe acute malnutrition. Therefore, emphasis should be given to improving infant and young child feeding practices, especially timely initiation of complementary feeding and dietary diversity.

Breastfeeding and complementary feeding in fragile settings: the case of Syrian refugees and their host communities in North Lebanon

BackgroundAdequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are paramount in fragile situations where access to food and healthcare is limited. The objectives of this study are to examine breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices among Syrian refugees and their Lebanese host communities and to investigate the correlates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at four and 6 months in these communities.MethodsUsing two-stage stratified sampling, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Akkar, a region with a high density of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, between April and November 2019. In one-to-one interviews, mothers of children (6–24 months) completed a questionnaire including specific questions about breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, a 24-h recall, and socio-demographic characteristics for 189 Syrian refugees and 182 Lebanese host community households. Descriptive statistics, simple and multiple logistic regression were used in data analysis.ResultsAmong breastfeeding practices, ever-breastfeeding was most prevalent (90%), followed by early initiation of breastfeeding (64.8%), EBF at four (49.6%), and six (36%) months. One in four children was introduced to solids before 6 months of age, and less than a third was given iron-fortified baby cereals as the first complementary foods. Only 24.4% and 9.2% of children met the minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet requirements, respectively. Compared to children of the Lebanese host communities, those of Syrian refugees had higher rates of EBF at four and 6 months as well as continued breastfeeding at 1 year, whereas only 17.9% of Syrian refugees’ children met minimum dietary diversity compared to 30.9% of Lebanese host community children (p < 0.05). Among refugees, education and spouse’s employment status were associated with higher odds of EBF at 4 months. As for Lebanese households, female children were less likely to be exclusively breastfed at 4 months and 6 months, while a natural delivery increased the odds of EBF at 6 months.ConclusionBreastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are suboptimal among children of Syrian refugees and their Lebanese host communities in North Lebanon. There is a need for intervention strategies to tackle gaps in services and assistance delivery programs to enhance infant and young child feeding practices among both communities.

Awareness and Knowledge Regarding Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Practice among House Officers Versus General Practitioner

Aim: To compare the awareness and knowledge regarding IYCF practice among House Officers versus general practitioner Study Design: Cross sectional comparative study Place and duration of study: Pediatric Department LUMHS from January 2018 to June 2018 Methodology: A total of 200 doctors were selected with non-probability purposive sampling technique and divided equally in Group A (House Officers and Group B (General Practitioner) for our convenience. A total of 100 fresh medical graduates (House Officers) and 100 general practitioner of at least 3 years’ experience were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was use to collect the information regarding awareness of IYCF. Two groups were compared by using Chi square test and p value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 200 participants were divided in two groups, Group A consist of 100 house officers and Group B 100 general practitioner. Thirty questions were asked from each participants and response rate was 100%. For one question both groups answered 100%, for 27 questions house officers gave correct answers as compared to general practitioner, while for 2 questions general practitioner answers correctly then the house officers. Conclusion: Fresh Doctors (House officers had better knowledge regarding the IYCF practice as compared to General Practitioner. General Practitioner should be trained for IYCF and it should be a part of curriculum of final years MBBS students. Keywords: IYCF, General Practitioners, Mother feeding, Young doctors

Learning from the Community to Predict Nutrition Status of Children Aged 6-24 Months in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: A Case Control Study.

The feeding and caring practices of infants and young children are critical to children’s nutrition status and development milestones. Most nutrition studies have focused on unfavorable factors that contribute to malnutrition rather than favorable factors that promote good nutrition status among children. This study aimed at identifying predictors of normal nutrition status among children aged 6–24 months in Gulu District, Northern Uganda. A matched case-control study was conducted on a sample of 300 (i.e., 100 cases and 200 controls) purposively selected children during October–December 2021. Controls were children that had normal nutrition status, whereas cases with undernourished children had at least one type of undernutrition. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of good nutrition status using odds ratios (ORs). The mean age of the cases and controls was 15 months (SD ± 6) and 13 months (SD ± 5), respectively. At multivariable analysis, breastfeeding in the first hour of the child’s life (AOR = 3.31 95% CI. 1.52–7.23), use of family planning (AOR = 2.21 95% CI. 1.25–3.90), number of under-fives in the household (AOR = 0.31 95% CI. 0.13–0.73) and hand washing with soap (AOR = 3.63 95% CI. 1.76–7.49) were significantly independently associated with a child’s good nutrition status. Interventions that can improve children’s nutrition status include breastfeeding in the first hour of child’s life, use of family planning methods, child spacing and hand washing with soap.

The impact of a package of behaviour change interventions on breastfeeding practices in East Java Province, Indonesia.

Suboptimal infant young child feeding practices are frequently reported globally, including in Indonesia. This analysis examined the impact of a package of behaviour change interventions on breastfeeding practices in Malang and Sidoarjo Districts, East Java Province, Indonesia. The BADUTA study (which in the Indonesian Language is an acronym for BAwah DUa TAhun, or children aged less than 2 years) was an impact evaluation using a cluster‐randomized controlled trial with two parallel treatment arms. We conducted household surveys in 12 subdistricts from Malang and Sidoarjo. We collected information from 5175 mothers of children aged 0–23 months: 2435 mothers at baseline (February 2015) and 2740 mothers at endline (January to February 2017). This analysis used two indicators for fever and diarrhoea and seven breastfeeding indicators (early initiation of breastfeeding, prelacteal feeding, exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months, predominant breastfeeding, continued breastfeeding, age‐appropriate breastfeeding and bottle‐feeding). We used multilevel logistic regression analysis to assess the effect of the intervention. After 2 years of implementation of interventions, we observed an increased odds of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35–2.53) and age‐appropriate breastfeeding (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.07–1.79) in the intervention group than in the comparison group, at the endline survey. We found significantly lower odds for prelacteal feeding (aOR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.41–0.65) in the intervention than in the comparison group. Our findings confirmed the benefits of integrated, multilayer behaviour change interventions to promote breastfeeding practices. Further research is required to develop effective interventions to reduce bottle use and improve other breastfeeding indicators that did not change with the BADUTA intervention.

Infant Young Child Feeding Practices in an Indian Maternal–Child Birth Cohort in Belagavi, Karnataka

Poor infant young child feeding (IYCF) practices result in malnutrition, poor psychosocial development, poor school performance and less productivity in later life, thereby perpetuating a vicious cycle. The current study aims to characterize the IYCF practices during the first year of life in a maternal–child birth cohort (DHANI) in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. We collected data from the dyad at birth, 6 and 12 months postpartum. We examined dietary diversity among these infants at 12 months using WHO criteria. A total of 902 live births were recorded, and 878 mother–child pairs completed the 12-month follow up. The overall prevalence of early (within 1 h of delivery) initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) was 77.9%, and that of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 6 months was 52.4%. At 12 months, most (90%) infants were breastfed, while 39% also received formula. The large majority (94.4%) of infants met minimum meal frequency (MMF), but only 55% of infants were receiving a minimum acceptable diet (MAD). The mean dietary diversity (DD) score was 4.7 ± 1.1. Only 21.9% of infants consumed egg and/or flesh food. A large proportion (33.8%) of infants received no vegetables and/or fruits till 12 months of age. Consumption of sweet beverage was 4.8%, but consumption of ultra-processed foods high in trans-fats, sugars and salt was high (85.8%). High-quality, sustainable and scalable interventions to enhance knowledge and support positive behaviour change for adopting and implementing better IYCF practices may be urgently needed in low- and middle-income group settings to improve diet diversity and overall nutritional intake amongst young children.

Infant and Young Child Feeding Practice in Ethiopia and the Cost of Not Breastfeeding: Review

The cornerstone of baby and young child survival, healthy growth and development, healthy future generations, and national development is infancy and young child feeding (IYCF). Inappropriate feeding practices in infants and early children, as well as their repercussions, are substantial roadblocks to longterm socioeconomic development and poverty reduction, with acute and chronic health effects for individuals. Breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of a baby’s life is the safest and healthiest method for feeding. Articles were searched and accessed using key terms, like “Infant feeding practice”, “Exclusive feeding”, “Non-exclusive feeding”, “Formula feeding Practice”, “Cost of not breast feeding”, “Economic benefit of breast feeding”. 38 published articles, 7 global standards and guidelines, 4 EDHS result reports and one website were included in this review. From 2000 to 2016, the percentage of mothers who started nursing within one hour climbed from 51% to 73 percent, while the number of mothers who exclusively breastfed increased from 2000 to 2016. Child malnutrition is caused by a lack of effective breast feeding and complementary feeding, and many nations throughout the world are seeing a dramatic increase in the prevalence of malnutrition, resulting in the triple burden of malnutrition. In Ethiopia, inadequate breastfeeding causes 14,000 unnecessary child deaths, 5 million instances of diarrhea and pneumonia, $190 million in household costs, and $2 million in health-care costs. Artificial feeding can cost up to $1,200 per year for powdered formula, which is four times the expense of breastfeeding, which costs about $300 per year for additional food for a lactating mom. Parental literacy, delivery in the health Institutions, spontaneous vaginal delivery, higher number of ANC visits, PNC attendance, maternal counseling during pregnancy and child sex being female are some factors among positively associated with exclusive breast feeding, whereas, full-time employment of mothers, urban residency, high weight of baby, caesarean-delivery, low wealth index, younger maternal age and child sex being male are few to mention among negatively associated factors with exclusive breast feeding.

The Formation of the Criteria, Rules and Regulations of the Sufficient and High-Quality Food According to the European Standards

Abstract. Introduction. Modern food systems face the challenge of supporting food choices that are consistent with a healthy and adequate diet. The vast majority of consumers of food products do not choose the principle of quality � the choice is made in favor of lower cost (low nutrient content), readiness of the product for consumption (high processing and trans fat content) or taste (high sugar, salt, etc.). At the same time, poor nutrition around the world is the number one risk factor for death and disability. Purpose. To study the criteria of the sufficient and high-quality food based on the norms and standards according to the European standards at different levels. Results. The article examines the indicators of calorie consumption per capita, daily calorie reserve per person, the minimum daily calorie requirement, inequality in calorie consumption per capita in the world. The key drivers of the impact of the level of nutrition on the quality of life have been identified: a healthy diet; unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the main global health risks, especially obesity; breastfeeding; balanced energy consumption; restriction of sugar consumption (up to 10%) and salt (up to 5 g per day). The WHO data and recommendations on ensuring a healthy diet for adults and children are summarized. The effective actions of politicians to create a healthy food environment have been identified, which should include three interrelated areas: building coherence in national policies and investment plans, including trade, food and agricultural policies; encouraging consumer demand for healthy food; promoting appropriate feeding practices for infants and young children; and tools for their implementation at the national level were systematized. WHO�s healthy eating policies and programs for national governments and related healthy eating policies and programs in Ukraine were described. Conclusions. A healthy diet from birth and throughout life prevents malnutrition in all its forms, as well as a number of non-communicable diseases. However, increased production and consumption of processed foods, rapid urbanization and lifestyle changes have led to changes in diets. People now consume significantly more foods high in energy, fat, sugar and salt / sodium. At the same time many people do not consume enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which contain the necessary fiber, vitamins and minerals for the human body. The required content of a varied, balanced and healthy diet varies depending on individual characteristics (age, gender, lifestyle and level of physical activity), cultural context, local products and eating habits. Along with this the basic principles of healthy nutrition remain unchanged.

Mothers' knowledge and practices on breastfeeding and complementary feeding in an urban slum area and rural area in Kenya: A cross-sectional interview study.

Maternal breastfeeding and complementary feeding knowledge is an important determinant of childrens' long-term health and development. This study aims to account for associations between knowledge and practices in Kenya and report the food consumption of children from birth to 18 months. In 2015 mother-child pairs were recruited from Mother-and-Child Health Centers; 415 in an urban slum in Nairobi and 364 in rural Machakos. Knowledge and practice scores were calculated from questionnaire variables and 24-h food frequency questionnaire. The associations of knowledge and practices were studied with regression analysis. Breastfeeding knowledge (Nairobi 6.3/9, Machakos 5.9/9) and practices (Nairobi 7.5/8, Machakos 7.2/8) were good in both areas. Complementary feeding knowledge was not as good (Nairobi 7.5/14, Machakos 7.1/14). Minimum meal frequency was reached by almost 80% of the children but dietary diversity was low (Nairobi 2.7 [SD 1.4], Machakos 2.4. [SD 1.3]). Only 27% of children in Nairobi and 13% in Machakos were fed a minimum acceptable diet. The complementary feeding knowledge score was associated only with minimum dietary diversity in Nairobi (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.105-1.514). Infant and young child feeding knowledge and practices were on a similar level in both areas. Future interventions should focus on improving dietary diversity.