Wubetu Woyraw
Debre Markos University, Ethiopia
Title: Uptake of minimum acceptable diet among children aged 6-23 months in orthodox religion followers during fasting season in rural area, Dembecha, North West Ethiopia in 2018
Biography
Biography: Wubetu Woyraw
Abstract
Introduction & Aim: Undernutrition is the cause for poor physical and mental development and has more burdens among
infants and young children aged between 6-23 months. Cultural practices like not providing animal source foods for infants
and young child aged between 6-23 months were barrier for practicing proper children feeding. Th e aim of this study was to
assess minimum acceptable diet and associated factors among children aged between 6-23 months in orthodox religion during
fasting season in rural area, Dembecha, Ethiopia.
Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess minimum acceptable diet. Random sampling
technique was applied to select 506 study participants. Interview was used to collect data on practice of minimum acceptable
diet, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and related factors among children aged between 6-23 months
from mothers/caregivers.
Result: About 8.6% of infants and young children aged between 6-23 months received minimum acceptable diet. Education status of mother (AOR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.48), involvement of mother in decision making (AOR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.48), birth order of index children (AOR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.94), knowledge on feeding frequency (AOR=0.3, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.58) and institutional delivery (AOR=5.13, 95% CI: 1.26, 20.80) were signifi cantly associated with minimum acceptable diet.
Conclusion: Minimum acceptable diet practice was low. Educational status of mother, involvement of mother in decision
making, knowledge on feeding frequency and institutional delivery were signifi cantly associated with minimum acceptable
diet. This indicates that nutrition education and counseling related to infant and young child feeding practice is not addressed for all mothers. Strengthening mothers’ education on acceptable child feed practice and working with religion leaders to increase knowledge of mothers on child feed practice are recommended.