Association of Complementary feeding practices and household food insecurity and anthropometric status of children aged 6-23 months old in Kabul city

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Introduction During the first 1000 days of a child life, appropriate infant feeding practices are fundamental to growth, health and development of a child. Globally only one in six children receive a minimum acceptable diet. In Afghanistan, the status of minimum meal frequency, dietary diversity and acceptable diet were 55%, 23% and 18%, respectively among children aged 6-23 months. This study designed with the aim of determines the association of complementary feeding (CF) indicators and household food insecurity and anthropometric status of Afghan children aged 6-23 months. Methods We were selected 300 children aged 6-23 months old in this cross-sectional study through simple method. Three 24-hour dietary recall were collected for CF practices. Socioeconomic and United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security questionnaire were used from interview method and nutritional status was assessed using World Health Organization indicators. Chi-Square analysis were used to determined association between anthropometry of children among different age groups, complementary feeding indicators and household Food insecurity. Independent sample test was used to determined association between nutrient intake and complementary feeding indicators. Results Results showed that 59% of children received timely introduction of CF and Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF), Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) and Minimum Acceptable Diet were met by 87.7%, 44.7% and 42.3%, respectively. Prevalence rate of food insecurity was 90.7%. Result for odds ratio and 95% CI showed there is association between (Length for Age Z-score (LAZ) with MMF), (Weight for Age Z-score (WAZ), Weight for Length Z-score (WLZ) and Length for Age Z-score (LAZ) with MDD and MAD). Result for odds ratio and 95% CI also showed there are significant associations between WAZ, WLZ and LAZ with household food insecurity. Conclusion Household food insecurity and weak complementary feeding make more prevalence of malnutrition.</jats:p>