Association between the Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) and nutritional status of 6- to 35-month-old children in rural western China

Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the quality of feeding practices and children’s nutritional status in rural western China.MethodsA sample of 12,146 pairs of 6- to 35-month-old children and their mothers were recruited using stratified multistage cluster random sampling in rural western China. Quantile regression was used to analyze the relationship between the Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) and children’s nutritional status.ResultsIn rural western China, 24.37% of all infants and young children suffer from malnutrition. Of this total, 19.57%, 8.74% and 4.63% of infants and children are classified as stunting, underweight and wasting, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, the quantile regression results suggested that qualified ICFI (ICFI > 13.8) was associated with all length and HAZ quantiles (P<0.05) and had a greater effect on the following: poor length and HAZ, the β-estimates (length) from 0.76 cm (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.99 cm) to 0.34 cm (95% CI: 0.09 to 0.59 cm) and the β-estimates (HAZ) from 0.17 (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.24) to 0.11 (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.19). Qualified ICFI was also associated with most weight quantiles (P<0.05 except the 80th and 90th quantiles) and poor and intermediate WAZ quantiles (P<0.05 including the 10th, 20th 30th and 40th quantiles). Additionally, qualified ICFI had a greater effect on poor weight and WAZ quantiles in which the β-estimates (weight) were from 0.20 kg (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.26 kg) to 0.06 kg (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.12 kg) and the β-estimates (WAZ) were from 0.14 (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.21) to 0.05 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10).ConclusionsFeeding practices were associated with the physical development of infants and young children, and proper feeding practices had a greater effect on poor physical development in infants and young children. For mothers in rural western China, proper guidelines and messaging on complementary feeding practices are necessary.

An empirical study of factors associated with height-for-agez-scores of children aged 6−23 months in northwest Rwanda: the role of care practices related to child feeding and health

“…Our finding of a positive association between ICFI and child HAZ is consistent with other studies that have investigated the relationship between a summary of child feeding practices and child HAZ in rural (32,34,50) and urban populations (13,51) . However, our result contrasts those of Ntab et al (52) who found no association between ICFI and child HAZ in rural Senegalese children (n= 500, age 12-42 months).…”

Investigating the effect of unachieved minimum acceptable diet and low infant and child feeding index as risk factors of stunting in children aged 6-23 months

“…10 Several studies have also demonstrated an association between complementary feeding practice which assessed by using the ICFI and linear growth of children aged 6-23 months. 5,10,19,21 A study from Burkina Faso, West Africa, showed that mean LAZ was significantly and positively related to ICFI tertiles in children aged 6-23 months. 19 In addition, a study in urban slums of Mumbai also confirmed this finding and showed a significant association between ICFI and LAZ.…”

The impact of a primary health care intervention on infant feeding practices: a cluster randomised controlled trial in Brazil

“…A higher score indicates a better quality of eating practices, which mainly include breastfeeding, bottle feeding, food groups and food diversity . There is evidence that the ICFI score is positively correlated with infant nutritional status in underprivileged population groups . However, the use of the ICFI to measure the impact of an intervention programme on children's eating practices has only been reported by Zhang , with adaptations according to recommendations for Chinese children.…”