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Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan

Received: 19 October 2015     Accepted: 2 November 2015     Published: 5 December 2015
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Abstract

In order to investigate the knowledge and practices of mothers regarding breast feeding and complementary feeding and to assess their compliance with the health guidelines, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of infant complementary feeding and breast feeding practices was conducted in a sample of 230 mothers. Data was collected systematically from rural areas of Chowk Azam. A validated questionnaire comprising of questions pertaining to sociodemographic profile, knowledge and practices of breast feeding and complementary feeding practices was used. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and chi square test was applied.Our study resultsrevealed thatonly 18% mothers were practicing complementary feeding at the recommended age. About 72% of the respondents started complementary feeding before the recommended age of six months and 3% mothers started delayed complementary feeding. Around 6.5% mothers had children less than six months of age and did not start complementary feeding yet. Almost half of the respondents 56.3%were using the homemade complementary food, while less than a fourth i.e. 19.5% mothers were giving commercially prepared food to their children and rest of one-fourth mothers 24.2% were giving both types of food. We conclude that knowledge and practices of mothers pertaining to breast feeding and complementary feeding practices are at mixed levels, and their understanding aboutexact time of starting complementary feeding is suboptimal. There is a need to create awareness among mothers regarding theappropriate time of starting complementary feeding so that health status of the infants and children can be ameliorated.

Published in Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences (Volume 3, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16
Page(s) 236-239
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Complementary Feeding, Pakistan, Knowledge, Breast Feeding

References
[1] Psasir.upm.edu.my. Infant Feeding Practices, Health And Nutritional Status: A Prospective Study Of Infants Seen At The University Of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur - Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository [Internet]. 2015 [cited 19 June 2015]. Available from: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/11245/
[2] Imdad A, Yakoob M, Bhutta Z. Impact of maternal education about complementary feeding and provision of complementary foods on child growth in developing countries. BMC Public Health. 2011; 11(Suppl 3): S25.
[3] Christian P, Mullany L, Hurley K, Katz J, Black R. Nutrition and maternal, neonatal, and child health. Seminars in Perinatology. 2015; 39(5): 361-372.
[4] Arabi M, Frongillo E, Avula R, Mangasaryan N. Infant and Young Child Feeding in Developing Countries. Child Development. 2012; 83(1): 32-45.
[5] Menon P. The crisis of poor complementary feeding in South Asia: where next? Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2011; 8: 1-4.
[6] Fewtrell M, Wilson D, Booth I, Lucas A. Six months of exclusive breast feeding: how good is the evidence? BMJ. 2010; 342(jan13 1): c5955-c5955.
[7] Hanif H. Trends in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in Pakistan, 1990-2007. IntBreastfeed J. 2011; 6(1): 15.
[8] Mennella J, Trabulsi J. Complementary Foods and Flavor Experiences: Setting the Foundation. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2012; 60(s2):40-50.
[9] Huh S, Rifas-Shiman S, Taveras E, Oken E, Gillman M. Timing of Solid Food Introduction and Risk of Obesity in Preschool-Aged Children. PEDIATRICS. 2011; 127(3): e544-e551.
[10] Impact of Maternal Education about Complementary Feeding on Their Infants' Nutritional Outcomes in Low- and Middle-income Households: A Community-based Randomized Interventional Study in Karachi, Pakistan. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition [Internet]. 2015; 32(4). Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4438693/
[11] Zafar M, Fatmi Z, Shafi K. Determinants of child feeding practices in Pakistan; secondary data analysis of demographic and health survey 2006-07. J Med NutrNutraceut. 2014; 3(2): 198.
[12] Bhatia R, Jain U. Knowledge, attitude, practices and misconceptions among mothers regarding complementary feeding. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2014; 3(11): 1.
[13] Hazir T, Akram D, Nisar Y, Kazmi N, Agho K, Abbasi S et al. Determinants of suboptimal breast-feeding practices in Pakistan. Public Health Nutr. 2012; 16(04): 659-672.
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  • APA Style

    Anaam Arif, Ejaz Ahmad Khan, Abid Hussain, Muhammad Awais Arif. (2015). Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 3(6), 236-239. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16

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    ACS Style

    Anaam Arif; Ejaz Ahmad Khan; Abid Hussain; Muhammad Awais Arif. Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2015, 3(6), 236-239. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16

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    AMA Style

    Anaam Arif, Ejaz Ahmad Khan, Abid Hussain, Muhammad Awais Arif. Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan. J Food Nutr Sci. 2015;3(6):236-239. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16,
      author = {Anaam Arif and Ejaz Ahmad Khan and Abid Hussain and Muhammad Awais Arif},
      title = {Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan},
      journal = {Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6},
      pages = {236-239},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfns.20150306.16},
      abstract = {In order to investigate the knowledge and practices of mothers regarding breast feeding and complementary feeding and to assess their compliance with the health guidelines, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of infant complementary feeding and breast feeding practices was conducted in a sample of 230 mothers. Data was collected systematically from rural areas of Chowk Azam. A validated questionnaire comprising of questions pertaining to sociodemographic profile, knowledge and practices of breast feeding and complementary feeding practices was used. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and chi square test was applied.Our study resultsrevealed thatonly 18% mothers were practicing complementary feeding at the recommended age. About 72% of the respondents started complementary feeding before the recommended age of six months and 3% mothers started delayed complementary feeding. Around 6.5% mothers had children less than six months of age and did not start complementary feeding yet. Almost half of the respondents 56.3%were using the homemade complementary food, while less than a fourth i.e. 19.5% mothers were giving commercially prepared food to their children and rest of one-fourth mothers 24.2% were giving both types of food. We conclude that knowledge and practices of mothers pertaining to breast feeding and complementary feeding practices are at mixed levels, and their understanding aboutexact time of starting complementary feeding is suboptimal. There is a need to create awareness among mothers regarding theappropriate time of starting complementary feeding so that health status of the infants and children can be ameliorated.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge and Practices of Mothers: Infant and Young Child’s Feeding in Chowk Azam, the Punjab, Pakistan
    AU  - Anaam Arif
    AU  - Ejaz Ahmad Khan
    AU  - Abid Hussain
    AU  - Muhammad Awais Arif
    Y1  - 2015/12/05
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16
    T2  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JF  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JO  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    SP  - 236
    EP  - 239
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-7293
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20150306.16
    AB  - In order to investigate the knowledge and practices of mothers regarding breast feeding and complementary feeding and to assess their compliance with the health guidelines, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of infant complementary feeding and breast feeding practices was conducted in a sample of 230 mothers. Data was collected systematically from rural areas of Chowk Azam. A validated questionnaire comprising of questions pertaining to sociodemographic profile, knowledge and practices of breast feeding and complementary feeding practices was used. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and chi square test was applied.Our study resultsrevealed thatonly 18% mothers were practicing complementary feeding at the recommended age. About 72% of the respondents started complementary feeding before the recommended age of six months and 3% mothers started delayed complementary feeding. Around 6.5% mothers had children less than six months of age and did not start complementary feeding yet. Almost half of the respondents 56.3%were using the homemade complementary food, while less than a fourth i.e. 19.5% mothers were giving commercially prepared food to their children and rest of one-fourth mothers 24.2% were giving both types of food. We conclude that knowledge and practices of mothers pertaining to breast feeding and complementary feeding practices are at mixed levels, and their understanding aboutexact time of starting complementary feeding is suboptimal. There is a need to create awareness among mothers regarding theappropriate time of starting complementary feeding so that health status of the infants and children can be ameliorated.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Public Health, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan

  • Department of Public Health, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan

  • Independent Consultant, Islamabad, Pakistan

  • Department of Medical Sciences, University of Medical Sciences, Cienfuegos, Cuba

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