Early initiation of complementary feeding practice and its associated factors among children aged 6 to 24 months in Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Even if there is currently no research on food integration practices, there is an unreliable hole in the data for the first motives, especially 6 to 24 months, research at ages varies in different ways, always, but the child’s development affects an important part of both the child and the parents. This gap limits our comprehensive knowledge of strategic choices and—their potential impact on children’s overall health and well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study was factors shaping complementary feeding for 6 to 24-Month-Olds in Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based survey was conducted in northeastern Ethiopia from June to July 2022. A sample of 409 mothers with infants aged 6 to 24 months was selected using a simple random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was adopted and data were collected by an interviewer. Collected data were entered into Epi Data version 4.6 and subsequently converted to SPSS version 21 for further analysis. Variables with a P-value <  = 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were included in the multivariable logistic regression model. Multivariable logistic regression analyses aimed at identifying independent associations between early initiation of supplement feeding and determinants-adjusted odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the strength of associations. P-values less than or equal to 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 409 mothers with their children were included in the analysis, revealing a prevalence of 38.1% for early initiation of complementary feeding among children aged 6–24 months. Factors associated with -early initiation included place of residence (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 3.63, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.1–11.95), husband’s educational status (AOR 16.83, 95% CI 1.98–24.8), maternal occupation (AOR 21.2, 95% CI 1.11–46.9), number of antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR 25.94, 95% CI 22.7–85.67), initial breastfeeding time (AOR 4.98, 95% CI 1.22–14.9), and medical illness (AOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.12–3.6.

Conclusion

Significant associations with Complementary Feeding were identified with the number of antenatal care (ANC) visits, postnatal care (PNC) check-ups, current residency, breastfeeding initiation time, maternal medical illness, and occupational status. To mitigate the early initiation of complementary feeding, it is recommended to enhance ANC/PNC services and educate mothers about the precise timing for introducing complementary foods to their infants.