Effect of Complementary Feeding on Nutritional Status of Children of Less Than Two Years

Abstract

Breastfeeding fulfils the dietary requirement of a child until 6 months. After that infant get developmentally ready for additional food to meet nutritional needs. Complementary feeding impart important effects on health of a child, improves health, IQ, weight, and height. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of complementary feeding on the nutritional status of children less than 2 years. A cross sectional study conducted at the Pediatric ward of Ayoub teaching hospital (ATH)Abbottabad, KP. A total of 139 children were enrolled in this study. Nonprobability convenient sampling technique was used. Obtained data was analyzed using SPSS. The mean and standard deviation were used to characterize quantitative variable. The ages of 139 enrolled children were ranged from 4-24 months with mean age of 12.6±5.60 months. Out of 139 children, 117 (84.2%) were taking complementary feeding. The analysis showed a significant association between feeding and weight of the children with respect to age. The results depicted that, children taking complementary feeding were of normal weight with respect to age and those without complementary feeding were of low weight with respect to their age (P=0.03). It was observed that complementary feeding practices have highest frequency (57.6%) of starting complementary feeding between 0 to 6 months of age. Mixed types of food were used in greater percentages (43.6%), per day frequency was 3 times (35.9%) and amount of food was 1 cup in in majority (47.86%). The result showed that children taking complementary feeding were healthier than those without complementary feeding. Most of the mothers were not following the standard protocols for about age of 4 to 24 months of complementary feeding, Frequency, quantity, and quality of food given in complementary feeding were not according to the WHO guidelines. There is dire need to educate the mothers about breast and complimentary feeding as per WHO guidelines to save the children from malnutrition.