Association between Maternal Education and Inappropriate Complementary Feeding Practices in Children Aged 6-24 Months
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Complementary feeding practices are influenced by several factors, among which maternal education plays a critical role in shaping infant feeding behaviors and child nutritional outcomes.However, there remains a notable gap in current, region-specific evidence linking maternal education levels to complementary feeding practices during the crucial window of 6-24 months.The purpose of the study is to assess the relationship between maternal education levels and the prevalence of inappropriate complementary feeding practices in children aged 6-24 months.Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between maternal education levels and the prevalence of inappropriate complementary feeding practices in children aged 6-24 months.Methods: This cross-sectional study at the Department of Pediatrics, Shahid Sohrawardy Medical College, Dhaka (Oct 2023-Mar 2024) enrolled 150 mother-child pairs (children 6-24 months).Data were collected via WHO-adapted questionnaires on sociodemographics and complementary feeding practices.Inappropriate feeding was defined by WHO indicators.Data analysis used SPSS and R with chi-square, multivariate, and exact logistic regression, plus trend tests; p < 0.05 was significant.Results: Among 150 mother-child pairs, 87.3% of children had inappropriate complementary feeding practices, mainly due to poor dietary diversity (80%).Higher maternal education was significantly associated with better feeding practices, with secondary (aOR: 0.20, p = 0.019) and higher education (aOR: 0.07, p = 0.006) linked to lower odds of inappropriate feeding.Conclusion: Maternal education plays a pivotal role in ensuring appropriate complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-24 months.
Source: ARC Journal of Pediatrics
Authors: Md. Shaiful Azam, Fazlul Kader Khan
Institution: Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411462013