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. 2024 Apr 9;12:e55509. doi: 10.2196/55509

Table 3.

Knowledge and practices about infant physical activity and healthy feeding from primary caregivers: baseline versus final line (NUTRES, 2020-21).a

Knowledge and practice Baseline Final line
Comparison group (n=264) Intervention group (n=230) P value Comparison group (n=175), % Intervention group (n=159), % P value
Physical activity (PAb), n/N (%)

Main benefits of PA identified 177/264 (67.0) 158/230 (68.7) .43 135/171 (78.9) 137/157 (87.3) .09
Strengthens muscles and bones 103/177 (58.2) 91/158 (57.6) .92 76/135 (56.3) 76/137 (55.5) .89
Strengthens the immune system 45/177 (25.4) 21/158 (13.3) .17 28/135 (20.7) 19/137 (13.9) .16
Improves cognitive function, school performance, or both 42/177 (23.7) 43/158 (27.2) .55 30/135 (22.2) 30/137 (21.9) .94
Promotes relaxation and well-being and improves sleep patterns 11/177 (6.2) 17/158 (10.8) .18 15/135 (11.1) 19/137 (13.9) .56
Helps to prevent chronic diseases 44/177 (24.9) 26/158 (16.5) .07 25/135 (18.5) 37/137 (27.0) .09
Helps to improve chronic disease control 35/177 (19.8) 21/158 (13.3) .32 16/135 (11.9) 19/137 (13.9) .62
Helps to avoid anxiety/depression 3/177 (1.7) 4/158 (2.5) .67 3/135 (2.2) 4/137 (2.9) .70
Promotes socialization and social interaction 12/177 (6.8) 14/158 (8.9) .47 8/135 (5.9) 20/137 (14.6) .048
Promotes water consumption (improves hydration) 1/177 (0.6) c .34 1/135 (0.7) 3/137 (2.2) .33
Others (less constipation, promotes growth, gives them energy, they express themselves better) 16/177 (9.0) 16/158 (10.1) .83 6/135 (4.4) 4/137 (2.9) .56
Do not know/answer 1/177 (0.6) .36 1/135 (0.7) 2/137 (1.5) .53
Main consequences of not doing PA 179/264 (67.8) 149/230 (64.8) .83 132/171 (77.2) 129/157 (82.2) .38
Decreased flexibility and weak muscles/bones 39/179 (21.8) 41/149 (27.5) .32 31/132 (23.5) 40/129 (31.0) .30
Weak immune system 32/179 (17.9) 18/149 (12.1) .40 25/132 (18.9) 19/129 (14.7) .38
Poor cognitive function/school performance 9/179 (5.0) 11/149 (7.4) .48 20/132 (15.2) 12/129 (9.3) .18
Stress, annoyance, sadness, and insomnia 11/179 (6.1) 14/149 (9.4) .31 10/132 (7.6) 12/129 (9.3) .55
Increased risk of chronic disease 131/179 (73.2) 92/149 (61.7) .17 79/132 (59.8) 85/129 (65.9) .37
Increased risk of anxiety or depression 4/179 (2.2) 13/149 (8.7) .02 4/132 (3.0) 9/129 (7.0) .14
Less socialization and social interaction 9/179 (5.0) 16/149 (10.7) .11 13/132 (9.8) 18/129 (13.9) .42
Others (fatigue, poor oxygenation, become lazy, or sedentary) 8/179 (4.5) 10/149 (6.7) .49 3/132 (2.3) 3/129 (2.3) .97
Do not know/answer 2/179 (1.1) 1/149 (0.7) .67 1/132 (0.8) 2/129 (1.5) .54
PA recommendations in children <5 years 56/264 (21.2) 49/229 (21.4) .35 48/171 (28.1) 29/157 (18.5) .14
At least 3 hours per day (180 minutes/day) 2/56 (3.6) 2/49 (4.1) .63 2/48 (4.2) 2/29 (6.9) .58
Screen time recommendations for children <5 years 88/264 (33.3) 106/229 (46.3) .30 90/171 (52.6) 85/157 (54.1) .91
<30 minutes/day 27/88 (30.7) 34/106 (32.1) .59 33/90 (36.7) 33/85 (38.8) .77
<60 minutes/day 31/88 (35.2) 37/106 (34.9) 35/90 (38.9) 35/85 (41.2) N/Ad
<2 hours/day 15/88 (17.0) 13/106 (12.2) 12/90 (13.3) 10/85 (11.8) N/A
Is avoided 12/88 (13.6) 12/106 (11.3) 7/90 (7.8) 4/85 (4.7) N/A
It depends on the age 2/88 (2.3) 2/106 (1.9) 1/90 (1.1) 0 (0) N/A
Other 4/106 (3.8) 2/90 (2.2) 2/85 (2.4) N/A
Do not know/answer 1/88 (1.1) 4/106 (3.8) 0 (0) 1/85 (1.2) N/A
Healthy feeding


Identifies that it is important to include vegetables in the dishes’ preparation (vegetable consumption) 28/264 (10.6) 26/230 (11.3) .86 159/175 (90.9) 146/159 (91.8) .78

Identifies the consumption of natural water as recommended 36/264 (13.6) 28/230 (12.2) .80 11/175 (6.3) 19/159 (11.9) .13

Identifies the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages as not recommended 6/264 (2.3) 5/230 (2.2) .94 8/175 (4.6) 3/159 (1.9) .13

Identifies the consumption of ultra-processed products (eg, cupcakes, cookies) as not recommended 1/230 (0.4) .30 3/175 (1.7) 4/159 (2.5) .63

Consequences of an unhealthy feeding

Undernourishment 196/264 (74.2) 162/224 (72.3) .63 145/175 (82.9) 126/159 (79.2) .41
Overweight or obesity 71/264 (26.9) 64/224 (28.6) .61 46/175 (26.3) 57/159 (35.8) .13
Respiratory diseases 21/264 (8.0) 16/224 (7.1) .76 15/175 (8.6) 9/159 (5.7) .28
Musculoskeletal or skin problems 2/264 (0.8) 2/224 (0.9) .88 16/175 (9.1) 3/159 (1.9) .002
Sleep disturbances, discouragement and tiredness, difficulty practicing a physical activity or any activity, learning difficulties 9/264 (3.4) 7/224 (3.1) .83 7/175 (4.0) 4/159 (2.5) .58
Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia 25/264 (9.5) 25/224 (11.2) .44 17/175 (9.7) 20/159 (12.6) .48
Candies and soft drinks are identified as prizes for life 0 (0) 1/224 (0.4) .20 0 (0) 1/159 (0.6) .32
Harmful habits are established that are for life 0 (0) 1/224 (0.4) .20 0 (0) 1/159 (0.6) .32
Others (eg, bulimia and anorexia, gastritis, diarrhea and vomiting, lack of appetite, dehydration, getting sick in general) 14/264 (5.3) 8/224 (3.6) .23 1/175 (0.6) 2/159 (1.3) .46
Do not know/answer 14/264 (5.3) 13/224 (5.8) .79 5/175 (2.9) 8/159 (5.0) .31

Consequences of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption
157/171 (91.8) 145/157 (92.4) .67
Undernourishment 14/215 (6.5) 13/185 (7.0) .90 14/171 (8.2) 10/144 (6.9) .46
Overweight or obesity 96/215 (44.7) 97/187 (51.9) .33 75/157 (47.8) 67/145 (46.2) .79
Respiratory diseases or diarrhea 5/215 (2.3) 3/185 (1.6) .64 4/157 (2.5) 3/143 (2.1) .81
Musculoskeletal or skin problems 10/215 (4.7) 11/185 (5.9) .62 17/157 (10.8) 8/145 (5.5) .10
Sleep disturbances, discouragement and tiredness, difficulty practicing a physical activity or any activity, learning difficulties 5/215 (2.3) 2/185 (1.1) .92 13/157 (8.3) 2/143 (1.4) .01
Diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia 139/215 (64.7) 116/187 (62.0) .65 92/157 (58.6) 110/145 (75.9) .003
Candies and soft drinks are identified as prizes for life 0 (0) 1/185 (0.5) .21 0 (0) 2/145 (1.4) .18
Harmful habits are established that are for life 2/215 (0.9) 2/185 (1.1) .90 0 (0) 3/145 (2.1) .12
Others (eg, kidney problems, addiction, hyperactivity, stomach ache) 21/215 (9.8) 20/185 (10.8) .84 4/157 (2.5) 5/145 (3.4) .56
Do not know/answer 1/215 (0.5) 2/185 (1.1) .47 2/157 (1.3) 0 (0) .31

aTotals may vary because of missing data.

bPA: physical activity.

cNot available.

dN/A: not applicable.