ABSTRACT

The study assessed appropriate complementary feeding practices and anthropometric status of children aged 6-23 months in Umuahia North LGA of Abia state. A community based cross-sectional study involving 160 children was conducted using a multi-stage sampling technique. Information on sociodemographic characteristics of parents, appropriate complementary feeding practices, 24-hour dietary intake and anthropometric characteristics of the infants were obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire. Appropriate complementary feeding indicators and anthropometric indices were estimated using the 2018 World Health Organization recommendations; Introduction of Solid, Semisolid or Soft foods (ISSS), Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD), Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF), Minimum Milk Feeding Frequency (MMFF) and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD), WHO Anthro software was used to analyze anthropometric data for height and weight, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics -frequencies and percentages, and Chi -square analysis at p<0.05. More than half(51.9%) ofthe infants were females, about 41.9% ofthe participants were aged between 6-8 months, and 31.9% were firstborn. Of all the respondents, 62.9% had timely introduction of complementary foods, 90.3% of children 12-18 months had minimum dietaiy diversity, 100% across all age groups had minimum meal frequency, 98.5% ofchildren 6-8 months had minimum milk feeding frequency and only 40.3% of children 6-8 months had minimum acceptable diet. The prevalence of wasting, underweight, stunting, overweight/obesity, malnutrition (MUAC) in this study was 0.6%, 13.8%, 11.2%, 33.1% and 37.5%, respectively, with majority (88.8%) ofthe children fully immunized. Additionally, 60.6% ofthe children were exclusively breastfed and majority (88.1%) currently breastfeeding. A significant association was found between adequate complementary feeding practices and children currently breastfeeding, children exclusively breastfed, age breastfeeding was discontinued, reason for discontinuing breastfeeding, age of introduction of complementary foods, and estimated household income (p < 0.05). Caregivers should be encouraged by the dieticians/nutritionists to give adequate complementary foods that will promote child growth and development