Nearly one in three children is suffering from sub-optimal feeding practice in Gibe District, Hadiya zone, South Ethiopia

Netsanet Fentahun; Yared Mulu; Tesfaye Feleke; Abraham Tamirat

doi:10.1186/s41043-020-00216-9

Nearly one in three children is suffering from sub-optimal feeding practice in Gibe District, Hadiya zone, South Ethiopia

J Health Popul Nutr. 2020 Nov 9;39(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s41043-020-00216-9.

Authors

Netsanet Fentahun¹, Yared Mulu², Tesfaye Feleke³, Abraham Tamirat⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. netsanet_fentahun@yahoo.com.
² School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
⁴ Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Although infant and young child feeding practices play an important role, children in Ethiopia suffer from poor infant and young child feeding. To date, there is a limited study which addresses factors that influence infant and young child feeding practices. The aim of the study was to determine the predictors of infant and young child feeding practices in Gibe District, Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed on 418 randomly selected mothers with children under the age of 24 months from March 13 to April 13, 2017. The pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Multiple logistic regressions were applied to determine the predictors of infant and young child feeding practices.

Results: A total of 284 (67.9%) infant and young child suffered from the sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices. The husband being a government employee [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.08 (1.65, 10.04)], lower household income [(AOR) = 3.11 (1.36, 7.07)], not attending antenatal care (AOR = 2.03 (1.22, 3.36)], child age 0-5 months [AOR = 2.42 (1.02, 5.72)], negative attitude towards infant and young child feeding practices [AOR = 2.35 (1.44, 3.84)], and the number of children 3-4 [AOR = 1.99 (1.08, 3.64)] were predictors of the sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices.

Conclusion: Sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices were very high as compared to the WHO infant and child feeding recommendation. The husband being a government employee, lower household income, not attending antenatal care, child age 0-5 months, negative attitude towards infant and young child feeding practices, and the number of children 3-4 were the predictors of the sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices. Nutritional interventions should emphasize the predictors of sub-optimal infant and young child feeding practices to improve optimal infant and young child feeding practices in Ethiopia.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Hadiya zone; Infant and young child feeding practice; Predictor.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet / statistics & numerical data*
Ethiopia / epidemiology
Family Characteristics
Feeding Behavior*
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Infant
Infant Nutrition Disorders / epidemiology*
Infant Nutrition Disorders / etiology
Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Logistic Models
Male
Mothers / psychology
Mothers / statistics & numerical data*
Odds Ratio
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care / statistics & numerical data
Socioeconomic Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires