الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Adopting optimal feeding practices is fundamental to a child’s survival, growth and development. Proper feeding of infants and young children can increase their chances of survival. It can also promote optimal growth and development, especially in the critical window from birth to 2 years of age. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months has many benefits for the infant and mother. Chief among these is protection against gastrointestinal infections which is observed not only in developing but also industrialized countries.
Data was collected using the following tools:
A pre-designed interviewing questionnaire was used to collect the data:
• Socio-economic data (family and infant’s data), feeding pattern (type of feeding in the previous 6 months prior the study and at 6 months)., morbidity data (history of diarrhea, cough, sore throat, ear problem, feveretc), mother’s knowledge regarding infant feeding and growth.
• Anthropometric measurements (weight, length and head circumference).
• Data were fed to the computer and analyzed using IBM SPSS software package version 20.0.
The study revealed the following findings:
- Boys were 38.8% and girls were 61.2% with a mean birth weight and a mean length 49.90 ± 4.62. Less than half (40.6%) of the studied sample were the 3rd and more in their families.
- Two thirds 66.5%of the studied mothers were house wife and less than half 47.5% had a university degree and more. Less than one third 30.4% of the studied mothers stated not enough monthly income.
- Regarding feeding pattern of the studied infant more than two thirds (39.5%) were formular or other milk. The most common reason for non exclusive breast feeding was health condition for the mother or child as it was encountered among (51.6%) of the studied sample.
- More than half (54.37%) started complementary feeding at (4-6 ms) of infant’s age and the most common food supply was boiled vegetables (31.2%) and less than three quarters (73%) supplied the complementary feeding by spoon.
- Most common morbidities among the studied infants in the last two weeks prior the study was common cold and cough as it was reported by (75%) by the studied mothers.
- Concerning mother’s knowledge score about infant feeding more than one third (36.5%) and less than half (49.8%) scored good and fair while the minority (13.7%) scored poor knowledge score.
- Concerning 2 score growth indices (41.1%) of the studied infants were under and severely underweight. More than one fifth (22.4%) severely wasted and (16%) of the studied infants were stunted.
- The most predicting factors for growth indices were mother’s work (weights for age – weight for length) (P = 0.005,< 0.001 and 0.03), mothers’ education and all growth indication , weight for age, length for age, weight for length, and head circumference for age) (P= <0.001, 0.004, < 0.001, <0.001), enough monthly income with all growth indicators (weight for age, length for age, weight for length, and head circumference for age) (P= <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001).
- A statistically significant difference between boys and girls regarding length for age (favoring girls), weight for length (favoring boys) and head circumference for age (favoring girls) (p=0.015, 0.041 & 0.03, respectively), birth orders and both weight for age (favoring 1st order) and weight for length (favoring 2nd order) (p=0.027 & 0.047, respectively), types of delivery and weight for age, length for age, and weight for length (all favoring CS) (p=<0.001, <0.001 & 0.013, respectively). Types of delivery and weight for age, length for age, and weight for length (all favoring CS) (p=<0.001, <0.001 & 0.013, respectively).
- Regarding relation between infants’ growth indicators and feeding pattern the results revealed a significant relation with feeding pattern in the previous 6 months prior the interview (p=0.015, 0.007 & 0.019, respectively) (the difference favoring formula, cow, or buffalo milk only), breast feeding in the previous 6 months showed a significant relation weight for age, length for age and head circumference (p=0.012, 0.01 & 0.009 respectively), formula milk feeding with weight for age, length for age, weight for length and head circumference (p=0.001, 0.043, 011 & 0.017, respectively)
- Age of starting complementary feeding supplementation showed a significant relation with weight for age (favoring 0 – 2 months) and weight for length (favoring at 6 months) (p=0.01& 0.002, respectively).
The results showed statistically significant differences between different knowledge levels (favoring good knowledge level) and weight for age (p<0.001), weight for length (p<0.001) and head circumference weight/age (p<0.001).
6.2. Conclusions:
Infants’ malnutrition is still a common problem in our community particularly wasting and severe underweight with a rate of 22.4% and 21.7% respectively, indicating the double burden malnutrition problem. The low rate of exclusive breast feeding, morbidity, early age of starting complementary feeding and low good knowledge score of the studied mothers about infant feeding practices proved to be the main causes lagging behind the malnutrition problem. The most detected predictors of growth indicators as reflected in the current study were paternal age, mother’s knowledge, morbidity and exclusive breast feeding
6.3. Recommendation:
Based on the findings of the current study the following Recommendations are postulated:
1. Several strategies must be employed to improve complementary (CF) feeding practices. These include nutritional counseling to mothers designed to promote healthy feeding practices; provision of CF offering extra energy and increasing energy density of complementary foods through simple technology.
2. Sustained Educational and strategic efforts on infant and young child feeding international recommendations should be strengthened during antenatal care visits emphasizing more on exclusive breast feeding and using mass media especially for mothers with lower educational status to fill up of this gap.
3. Emphasizing the role public health actions in disseminating information of all heath care providers in all issues related to the regular monitoring the infant’s growth and detecting the growth indices helping pick up malnutrition with prompt intervention and counseling.