Factors Influencing Optimal Complementary Feeding Practices Among Mothers of Children Aged 6-23 Months in the GA South Municipality

ABSTRACT

Background: The first two years of a child’s life is particularly important, as good nutrition during this time lowers morbidity and mortality, and promotes development of the child. Complementary feeding (CF) period represents a window of opportunity for avoiding all forms of malnutrition. It has also been established that when CF practices are scaled up to nearly universal levels, about 100,000 deaths of children under five could be prevented. In Ghana, only 13% of mothers practice optimal complementary feeding signifying a greater proportion of children are missing out on good nutrition in terms of quantity and quality. Lower prevalence of optimal complementary feeding practices have been recorded in the Greater Accra Region.General Aim: To assess the complementary feeding practices and its associated factors among mothers of children aged 6-23 months in the Ga South Municipality. Methodology: This was a facility based cross sectional study that involved 280 mothers who had children aged 6-23 months and visited the child welfare clinics (CWC) of the Ga South Municipal hospital, Ngleshie Amanfro Polyclinic and Obom Health Center. The study involved a face to face interview using structured questionnaires adapted and modified from the WHO and UNICEF’s guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (IYCF). Data collected were entered into Microsoft Excel and then exported to STATA Version 15 for analysis. Bivariate, univariate and multivariate analysis were done for predictor and outcome variables. Results: Timely initiation of solids for children aged 6-8 months was 88%. However, only 67.1% of all children between the ages of 6-23 months were introduced solids at the recommended age of 6 months. For all children aged 6-23 months, 65% achieved minimum meal frequency (MMF), 33% achieved minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and 24.3% achieved minimum adequate diet (MAD). There was no association between all explanatory variables and timely introduction of solids and soft foods. However, a multiple logistic regression showed that child’s age (AOR 0.25, 95% CI 0.12-0.54, P