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Assessment of the Nutritional Adequacy of Complementary Foods and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Sodo Zurea District, Wolayita, Southern Ethiopia
Author(s) -
Moges Debebe,
Abebe Yewelsew,
Gibson Rosalind S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.1149.6
Subject(s) - dietary diversity , micronutrient , medicine , breastfeeding , anthropometry , malnutrition , environmental health , psychological intervention , pediatrics , food group , cross sectional study , geography , food security , agriculture , archaeology , pathology , psychiatry
Childhood malnutrition in Ethiopia remains very prevalent and inadequate complementary food intakes and improper feeding practices remain a common problem in Ethiopian infants and young children. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional adequacy of complementary foods and of infant and young child feeding practices in Sodo Zurea District of Wolayita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional survey design was employed to collect data from 180 mothers, selected by a stratified two‐stage cluster sampling method, who had breastfed children aged 6–23 months. Socio‐demographic status, anthropometry, breastfeeding, and the adequacy of complementary foods were determined, and complementary feeding practices and behaviors assessed by direct in‐home observations. Only 21% of infants and young children were exclusively breastfed up to 6 months of age. Prevalence of stunting was 16.7% for infants aged 6–8 months, 33.3% for infants aged 9–11 months and 50% for children 12–24 months. Energy and nutrient intakes from complementary foods were also calculated from one day in‐home weighed records. The dietary diversity score of the study participants showed that only 3.3% had dietary diversity scores greater than three food groups. Very few children (3.3%) were fed minimum acceptable diets according to the WHO recommended infant and young child feeding guidelines, and responsive feeding was not practiced. Median energy intakes and densities of micronutrients from complementary foods (except for protein) were below the WHO recommendations. In conclusion, there is a need to focus on nutrition education interventions that address the WHO guiding principles for infant and young child feeding practices in this area. Support or Funding Information Supported by Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) project through the International Development Research Center (IDRC).