Recent evidence of the effectiveness of educational interventions for improving complementary feeding practices in developing countries

J Trop Pediatr. 2011 Apr;57(2):91-8. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmq053. Epub 2010 Jun 17.

Abstract

Inappropriate complementary feeding practices have been identified as the major causes of malnutrition in young children in developing countries. This article reviewed literature on complementary feeding educational interventions from 1998 onwards. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence from published studies in the past decade on the effectiveness of educational intervention programs on improving complementary feeding practices in the developing world. The literature search was performed through PubMed/Medline database with the following key words: infant feeding, weaning and intervention, and identified a total of 15 original educational intervention studies. Evidence from these studies supports that educational intervention can effectively improve complementary feeding practices and child nutrition and growth. The intervention should be culturally sensitive, accessible and integrated with local resources.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child Nutrition Sciences / education
  • Developing Countries
  • Evidence-Based Practice
  • Growth*
  • Health Education*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Promotion
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Care
  • Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
  • Mothers / education