The association of mothers' socio-cultural environment with the dietary diversity of their children aged 6 to 24 months from Olievenhoutbosch Township in Gauteng
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background: Suitable complementary feeding practices in young children can ensure optimal nutrition status and reduce under 5 mortality rates (Jones et al., 2014). Inadequate dietary diversity (DD) of the complementary diet both in quality and quantity is one of the major problems affecting infants and young children worldwide (Ntila et al., 2017). Adequate and appropriate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is vital for the growth and development of every child to reach full human potential (PAHO, 2003; WHO, 2008a; UNICEF, 2016). Nutritional vulnerability increases when other factors are also involved, such as poor breast and complementary feeding practices combined with high rates of infectious diseases (Solomons & Vossenaar, 2013; Ntila et al., 2017). There are pockets of information available on complementary feeding practices and its social determinants from specific areas in South Africa, regarding infant and young child feeding practices beyond six months of age and requires further investigation (Issaka et al., 2015; Seonandan & McKerrow, 2016). \nAim: To explore the association between mothers’ socio-cultural environment and the dietary diversity of their children between the ages of 6 and 24 months, who attend the health care clinic in Olievenhoutbosch Township, Gauteng. \nMethodology: A quantitative cross-sectional explorative study was implemented. Data collection was conducted at Olievenhoutbosch clinic in Gauteng during February and March 2019. Mothers of children aged between 6 and 24 months were included and interviewed. Consecutive sampling was applied. The data collection instruments were a set of structured questions to obtain socio-demographic, nutritional knowledge, maternal attitude and feeding practices data. The infant and young child minimum dietary diversity (IYCMDD) questionnaire adapted from the WHO questionnaire was used to determine the DD of each child. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at the University of South Africa. Descriptive and inferential statistics was applied using SPSS version 25 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). \nResults: The sample of mothers (n=103) were educated (75% completed matric and 18% completed post-school education), unemployed (73%) and mostly single (53%) which are all factors playing a role in child nutrition. The majority (58%) of children were between the ages of 6 and 11 months while 42% were between the ages of 12 and 24 months. The milk feeding practices differed significantly between the younger and older groups of children with 35% of the younger children receiving breastmilk (in addition to complementary foods), compared to 21% of the older group. Almost half (44%) of the total group reported that maize meal porridge was the first food introduced to their children. Less than half of the mothers (45%) initiated the first foods at the recommended age of 6 months but started as early as one month of age (13%). All children (100%) consumed foods from the “grains, roots and tubers” food group the previous day. Significantly less children from the younger age group were reported to have consumed dairy (38% vs 77%, p<0.001) (other than breast or formula milk), animal flesh foods (31% vs 59%, p=0.014) and legumes (8% vs 24%, p=0.034), compared to the older age group. Significantly more children from the older group met the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) of four food groups compared to the younger group (67% vs 38%, p=0.019). No association was found between most socio-cultural factors (maternal age, marital status, education and employment status) and DD. However, there was an association between maternal ethnicity and DD (𝑥2=16.62, p=0.002). Also, maternal nutrition knowledge and the child’s DD had a significant, positive linear relationship (p=0.026). Lastly, maternal attitude towards feeling confident in not overfeeding the child were associated with meeting the MDD. \nConclusion: The diets of young children residing in Olievenhoutbosch, do not meet the criteria for a minimally acceptable diet with only 50% meeting the MDD. Legumes and animal source foods are not consumed in sufficient quantities for complementary feeding. Maternal ethnicity and nutritional knowledge were associated with the child’s DD. More emphasis should be placed on DD for young children.
Author: Yolande Ibeagu
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3081858805