Knowledge of Mothers on complementary feeding and Association of feeding practices with anthropometry of children between 6 months to 2 years in a tertiary care hospital in eastern India

Abstract

Background: Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices have a straight impact on the nutritive status of children under two years of age and influence an individual’s whole life. The feeding practices do differ in different parts of the world, based on socio-demographic conditions.

Objectives: The objective of our study is to find knowledge of mothers about various complementary feeding practices and to correlate the complementary feeding practices with the anthropometric parameters of the children in eastern India.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including all the mothers or caregivers of kids aged 6 months to 2 years attending IPD or OPD of the Department of Pediatrics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar.

 Results: Seventy-three percent of the total 300 participants recognized that complementary feeding (CF) is the beginning of semi-solid or solid food with continued breastfeeding. 176 mothers thought that CF should be started after teething in a child. 2/3^rd of the mothers believed that packaged food is more nutritious than homemade food. The overall prevalence of wasted and stunted children in our study was 38 per 100 children and 31 children per 100 children respectively. It was found that Weight meant for Age was significantly related to the minimum dietary variety, minimum meal occurrence, and minimum suitable diet.

Conclusion: Augmented consideration towards breastfeeding persistence and dietary diversity enhancement consuming locally available and reasonable foodstuffs is required.