Complementary feeding practices in children aged 6–23 months in rural Lucknow: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Problem considered: The initial foods that children have are critical not only for their immediate survival but also for their long-term potential. This study was done to describe the complementary feeding practices in children aged 6–23 months in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and to identify the factors associated with appropriate feeding practices. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of Lucknow district in Uttar Pradesh. The calculated sample of 300 mother-child pairs were selected by multistage random sampling technique. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analysis was done using IBM-SPSS version 26. Results: Grains and pulses were the most commonly consumed food groups by children aged 6–23 months. Nearly two-thirds of children had consumed unhealthy food, 20% had sweet beverages and 61% had zero vegetable or fruit consumption in previous twenty-four hours. Appropriate complementary feeding was seen in 51.3% children and it was found to be significantly associated with educational status of mothers, if the mothers had received counselling regarding complementary feeding and on maternal dietary diversity. Conclusion: The diet of children aged 6–23 months in rural Lucknow needs improvement in diversity. Poor vegetable/fruit consumption and high consumption of unhealthy foods is a detrimental trend. Focus should be provided on maternal education and counselling to improve complementary feeding practices.

Keywords

• Complementary feeding
• Dietary diversity
• Dietary counselling