Barriers of Appropriate Complementary Feeding Practices in Under – 2 Children

Authors

  • Shanjoy Kumar Paul Associate Professor (Pediatric Nephrology), Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), Dhaka
  • Sunirmal Roy Associate Professor (Neonatology), SSMC, Dhaka
  • Quazi Rakibul Islam Associate Professor (Pediatrics),Green life Medical College, Dhaka
  • Md Zakirul Islam Assistant Professor (Pediatrics), SSMC, Dhaka
  • Md Akteruzzaman Junior Consultant (Pediatrics), Upazilla Health Complex, Kachua, Chandpur
  • Md Abdur Rouf Associate Professor (Pediatrics), SSMC, Dhaka
  • ARM Luthful Kabir Professor (Pediatrics), SSMC, Dhaka
  • Syeda Afroza Professor (Pediatrics), Shahid Suhrawardy Medical College, Dhaka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v33i4.28139

Keywords:

Barriers, Complementary feeding

Abstract

When breast milk is no longer enough to meet the nutritional needs of infants, complementary foods should be added to their diet. It is a very vulnerable period when malnutrition starts in many infants, contributing significantly to high prevalence of malnutrition in under-5 children world-wide. In Bangladesh, complementary feeding (CF) practices are not satisfactory. The objectives of the study were to look into the feeding patterns of under-2 children and to identify the causes which lead mothers/ caregivers to practice inappropriate CF. This cross-sectional study was done in the Pediatric department of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital, Dhaka and in a private chamber from a district town of Bangladesh from October, 2011 to December, 2011. Four hundred mother-child pairs were enrolled by non-random convenience sampling. Different aspects of feeding practices (age of initiation of CF, type of first complementary food, current main complementary food & its quantity, and frequency of CF) were analyzed. Bottle feeding, fast foods and lack of proper family support were most important barriers (p<0.05). High rate of early initiation of CF was mainly due to mothers perception that breast milk alone was not enough (81.8%) and main cause of late initiation was refusal of complementary foods by their babies (48.4%). Feeding practices were mainly influenced by relatives (25%), qualified doctors (15.3%), neighbors (14.5%) & mother-in-laws (13.5%). CF practices are still far from ideal. Strengthening of nutrition education to mothers/caregivers and family members/relatives along with awareness building in the community may change the wrong practices.

J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2015; 33(4): 195-201

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Author Biography

Shanjoy Kumar Paul, Associate Professor (Pediatric Nephrology), Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), Dhaka



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Published

2016-06-08

How to Cite

Paul, S. K., Roy, S., Islam, Q. R., Islam, M. Z., Akteruzzaman, M., Rouf, M. A., Kabir, A. L., & Afroza, S. (2016). Barriers of Appropriate Complementary Feeding Practices in Under – 2 Children. Journal of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons, 33(4), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v33i4.28139

Issue

Vol. 33 No. 4 (2015)

Section

Original Articles

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