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Abstract Background: Malnutrition aggregate is still considered one of the main public health challenges facing the whole world with a global WHO/ UNICEF strategy to eliminate it by year 2025. Malnutrition has been responsible for 60% of the 10.9 million annual deaths and 50 to 70% of the burden of diarrheal disease and respiratory tract infections among under-five year old children. It`s also a major cause of disability preventing children from reaching their full developmental potential. Objectives: To assess mother`s knowledge and practice of feeding and nutrition of their 6 months to 5 years old children in 6th of October City. To assess the nutritional status of those children, and it`s association with the nutritional knowledge and practice of their mothers. Methods: a cross-sectional study conducted among mothers-children pairs randomly selected from well-baby clinics in two family health centers in 6th of October city using tested self-designed interview questionnaire, 24 hr. dietary recall, and anthropometric measurements which were transformed into Z-scores using software WHO Anthro V.3 in order to assess child’s nutritional status. Maternal knowledge & practice scores were generated, and data was entered & analyzed using software SPSS V.20 Results: Number of mother-child pairs was 252; mean mother`s age was 27.9 ± 6 years, 81% of them were housewives, and 61% had higher than 2ry school education. Occurrence of stunting, wasting & overweight among children was 20.2%, 6% and 9.9% respectively. 28.9% of mothers reported early initiation of BF, 73.4% gave prelacteal feeds, 51.2% practiced EBF for 4-6 months, 25.4% gave formula milk during 1st 6 mo. of life, 16.4% continued BF up to 2 yrs., and 84.5% delayed introduction of meats beyond 8th mo. of age. A percentage of 3.6%, 16.7%, & 54.8% of children consumed meat products, fruits, & processed sugary sweets respectively on daily basis last week. Factors that significantly affected child`s HAZ and WHZ included mother`s age, mother`s education, mother`s nutritional knowledge and feeding practice scores, and family socioeconomic status. Mother`s education and family SES also significantly affected MMF & MDD consumed by child in previous 24 hr. dietary recall. |