Feeding Practice and associated factors among Children aged 6 – 59months at Dabat Health and Demographic surveillance System site: A community based cross-sectional study

By Esmael Ali Muhammad and Amare Tariku

University of Gondar 

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended optimal feeding practices during and after common childhood illnesses to prevent rapid deterioration of nutritional status associated with illness/convalescence. However, studies were not specifically focused on meal frequency and dietary diversity practices among children who had a recent infection of common childhood illnesses. Therefore we aimed to assess feeding practice and its associated factors among children aged 6–59 months on illness in Dabat Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dabat HDSS site by including 1,174 mother-child pairs. A multistage stratified sampling followed by a systematic random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with children’s feeding practice. Crude and adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval was calculated to see the strength and significance of the identified factors.

Result: The overall prevalence of a minimum dietary diversity practice and a minimum meal frequency was 27 % (95%CI: 24.4, 29.7) and 83.7 %( 95%CI: 91.7, 86.0), respectively. Having ANC follow up (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.27) and health institution delivery (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.85, 3.55) increased the probability of the child to practice an adequate dietary diversity. On the contrary, the odds of practicing an adequate dietary diversity was lower among a household who got their food from their own garden (AOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.52) and among those who were breast feeding (AOR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.78). The probability of having a minimum meal frequency was increased among children’s in the first two years (AOR = 10.8; 95% CI: 6.81, 17.28), and among children’s who fed alone (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.69

Conclusion: The proportion of children who received the minimum dietary diversity was found to be low while mother’s tendency of feeding their children following a minimum meal frequency was relatively good. Providing a health and nutrition counseling on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) during maternal ANC services are recommended for achieving the recommended dietary practices.

Key words: meal frequency, dietary diversity practice, cross-sectional study, Ethiopia