Timely Initiation of Complementary Feeding Practice and Associated Factors among Mothers of Children Aged from 6 to 24 Months in Axum Town, North Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Appropriate complementary feeding is critical for the achievement of a healthy growth and development and mere survival of young children. Lack of appropriate breast-feeding and complementary feeding practice are the main cause of under nutrition. An estimated 32% of children under five years in developing countries are stunted and 10% are wasted. Objective: To assess timely initiation of complementary feeding practice and associated factors among mothers of children aged from 6 to 24 months living in Axum town, North Ethiopia. Methods: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2013. A sample of 422 subjects was selected by using systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using pre-tested interviewer administered structured questionnaires. The data were cleaned, coded, entered in to EPI-INFO version 3.5.1, and transferred and analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: Out of 422 study participants, 223 (52.8%) have started complementary feeding practices to their child timely. Married women [AOR=2.490; 95% CI: (1.170, 5.301)] and attended ANC follow up [AOR=3.874; 95% CI: (1.805, 8.314)] were positively associated with timely initiation of complementary feeding. On the other hand, mothers whose husband cannot read and write [AOR=0.358; 95% CI :(0.148, 0.863)], household size of 4-6 (AOR=0.34; 95%CI: 0.16, 0.74) and mothers who delivered at home (AOR=0.338; 95%CI: 0.12, 0.99) were negatively associated with timely initiation of complementary feeding. Conclusion and recommendation: Timely initiation of complementary feeding practice was relatively low in the study area. Mother's marital status, husband education, family size, mother's ANC follow-up, and mother's place of delivery were significantly associated with timely initiation of complementary feeding. Nutritional counseling, promoting ANC follow up, nutrition education & enhancing institution delivery were recommended to the concerned bodies.