INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD FEEDING PRACTICES IN PERIURBAN AREA OF NORTH INDIAN CITY

Abedi Ali Jafar; Mehnaz Saira; Safvi Sadia Rehman; Ansari Mohammed Athar; Khan Zulfia

Volume : V, Issue : IX, September - 2016

INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD FEEDING PRACTICES IN PERIURBAN AREA OF NORTH INDIAN CITY

Abedi Ali Jafar, Mehnaz Saira, Safvi Sadia Rehman, Ansari Mohammed Athar, Khan Zulfia

Abstract :

Background: Infant and young child feeding practices directly affect the nutritional status of children under two years of age and, ultimately, impact child survival. Objective of this study was to assess the WHO infant and child feeding indicators and its determinants in a periurban area of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted, the data was obtained from mothers of 310 living children 0–23 months of age group and information on WHO infant and young child feeding indicators was collected using WHO questionnaire. Rates (%) and Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% CI were calculated wherever required. Results: Only 42.1% of infants younger than 6 months were exclusively eastfed. Breastfeeding was continued till 2 year of age in 40.0% of the children. Introduction of solid, semi–solid and soft foods at complete 6 months of age was followed in 43.1% of the children. Minimum meal frequency was present in 87.4% of the study subjects, 70.6% were found to have minimum dietary diversity. Minimum meal frequency was practiced in 67.0% of the study subjects while only 23.7% were being given iron rich or fortified diets. Education of parents and SLI had positive association with east feeding practices (OR: 3) while there was no association with complimentary feeding. Conclusion: The gaps with regards to information on infant and young child feeding practices in different age groups are to be filled and further study should be planned to know factors that motivate current practices or act as constraints to improving practices.