Complementary Feeding Practices and Associated Factors Among Infants and Young Children 6–23 Months in Fort Portal Kabarole District Uganda (P11-049-19)

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of appropriate complementary feeding practices and associated factors among infants and young children 6-23 months in Fort Portal municipality Kabarole Uganda Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 206 mothers/caregivers of infants and young children 6-23 months using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Probability proportionate to population size technique was used to select study subjects. A pretested WHO standard questionnaire for measuring infant and young child feeding practices was adopted for assessing complementary feeding practices. Appropriate complementary feeding was defined as attaining both minimum meal frequency and minimum dietary diversity in the last 24 hours. Prevalence ratios and there 95% confidence intervals were generated. Modified poisson regression analysis method was used to generate factors associated with appropriate complementary feeding. Five focus group discussions were conducted to capture participants perceptions on appropriate complementary feeding practices. Results: The prevalence of appropriate complementary feeding was 21.4%. Formal employment (PR: 7.05; CI:1.69-29.36), cohabiting (PR: 2.15; CI: 1.10-4.18) and having no child illness (PR: 1.85; CI: 0.88-4.35) were associated with appropriate complementary feeding. Qualitative results showed that inadequate information and low income as major challenges towards appropriate complementary feeding practices. Conclusions: Appropriate complementary feeding practices were low. unless interventions such as; health services access and women entrepreneurship are put in place, the inappropriate complementary feeding practices are unlikely to change.