Maternal Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Infant and Young Feeding Practices and Its Impact on Growth of Babies Aged 6-24 Months: A Cross- sectional study from Jaffna District of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Appropriate nutrition intake during first two years will reduce child mortality and morbidity rate and minimizes the risk of incidence of adult age diseases. Inappropriate feeding practices pose major negative implications to the socio-economic development of a nation and to cause poverty at the family level. Hence, emphasize on infant feedings practices is important to develop a healthy nation. Even though Sri Lanka shows remarkable improvements in its health services, prevalence of child malnutrition poses a severe health problem in the country. This study aimed to determine maternal knowledge, beliefs and practices on infant feeding and its impact on growth among 6–24-month-old infants. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in one of the MOH area in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. 256 mothers of 6-24 months aged babies were interviewed using interviewer-administered survey. Anthropometric measurements, demographic data, feeding patterns, maternal knowledge and attitudes and information on institutional assistances were collected. Results: Out of 256 samples, 49.6% of them were male and 50.4% were females. Exclusive breastfeeding rate for first 6 months was around 40%. In total, 46.1% infants initiated complementary feeding right after 6 months. More than 80% of the babies were found to be malnourished according to the BMI reference chart of WHO. Only 84 mothers scored more than average on nutritional knowledge score. Significant associations were found among nutritional status of the babies and exclusive breastfeeding, knowledge score, birthweight, maternal education level and feeding by mothers (p=0.004,0.047,0.000,0.09,0.030 respectively). Conclusions: overall feeding indices including EBF and CF of the study group were not satisfactory. Social and traditional practices influenced more on feeding patterns and behaviours regardless of maternal knowledge score and education level. More health interventions with frequent and continuous evaluation is essential to improve the health condition of the babies.