ABSTRACT

A project research "feeding practices of infants and preschool children in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State", gives insight and experiences of feeding practices and their consequences within geographical area as a case study. Using a structured questionnaire, data was drawn from a total of 100 women and their 100 children between the ages of 0-5 years. Based on the statistical analysis, the mean and the standard deviation were obtained, Correlation and frequency were calculated using computer statistical package, statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 13. Based on the result, the social characteristics indicate a balance in educational qualification of mothers with its occupational effect of 50% each under feeding practices of infants and children, exclusive breastfeeding 56% (positive) against indicate the need to enhance feeding practices among mothers. Also, artificial milk given after four months of age of 91% (positive) shows au improvement in the standard living of mother against 7% (negative). Moreso, (lie behaviour I attitude of mothers towards foods indicates 18% negativity of foods given to children while 58% of the mothers were not affected negatively by culture. As a result of the effect of education on some mothers and the type of occupation they embarked on, there were decreases in the levels under weight, stunting and wasting by these children when compared to study carried out in Nigeria in 1990 and was recorded by NDI-IS (1992). The levels were as follows; children severely wasted were just 2% while 66% of them were normal. Considering height for age, 7% of the children were stunted and majority (68%) were normal. Most of the children (89%) were normal checking their weight for age but just 3% were under weight. The appropriate intervention programmes were introduced to reduce significantly the existing levels of malnutrition in children.