Table 2.
Demographic characteristics, feeding practices, and nutritional status of study participants (n = 195)a
| Child age | Percent (number) |
|---|---|
| 0 to 5 months | 6.2% (12) |
| 6 to 11 months | 39.5% (77) |
| 12 to 17 months | 45.1% (88) |
| 18 to 24 months | 9.2% (18) |
| Nutrition status among children 0 to 24 monthsi | |
| Underweight (weight‐for‐age z‐score < −2) | 26.2% (51) |
| Stunted (length‐for‐age z‐score < −2) | 49.7%(97) |
| Wasted (weight‐for‐length z‐score < −2) | 12.8% (25) |
| Sociodemographic factors | |
| Adolescent mother (age at first birth was 16 or younger) | 67.2% (131) |
| Husband of respondent has multiple wives | 38.5% (75) |
| Married/living together with partner | 87.2% (170) |
| Caring for 5 or more children | 45.1% (88) |
| Number of children cared for by mother (mean [SE]) | 4.6 (0.2) |
| Number of biological children per mother (mean [SE]) | 3.3 (0.2) |
| Adolescent mother (age at first birth was 16 or younger) | 67.2% (131) |
| Lives 400 m or more meters from water source | 51.3% (100) |
| Owns a mobile phone | 42.1% (82) |
| Maternal education | |
| None | 19.0% (37) |
| Some primary/complete primary | 72.3% (141) |
| Some secondary and above | 8.7% (17) |
| Feeding practices | |
| Exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months (0 to 6 months, n = 12)b | 91.7% (11) |
| Continued breastfeeding at 1 year (12–18 months, n = 43)c | 74.4% (32) |
| Timely introduction of complementary foods (6–9 months, n = 47)d | 91.5% (43) |
| Fed minimum dietary diversity (6–23 months, n = 163)e | 22.1% (36) |
| Fed iron‐rich foods or iron fortified products (6–23 months, n = 163)f | 9.5% (16) |
| Fed minimum meal frequency (6–23 months, n = 163)g | 40.5% (66) |
| Fed minimally adequate diet (6–23 months, n = 163)h | 15.3% (25) |
Data analysis included all maternal and child dyads with complete dietary intake data among children 0 to 23 months.
Exclusive breastfeeding defined as breastfed by the mother, a wet nurse, or fed expressed breast milk exclusively for the first 5 months of life.
Continued breastfeeding defined as breastfed by the mother, a wet nurse, or fed expressed breast milk from 12 to 15 months of age.
Introduction of complementary foods defined as the introduction of solid, semisolid, or soft food from 6 to 9 months of age. Children with missing dietary diversity data omitted.
Minimum meal frequency defined as two times per day for breastfed infants 6–8 months, three times per day for breastfed children 9–23 months, and four times per day for nonbreastfed children 6–23 months, during the previous 24‐hr period.
Minimum dietary diversity of feeding from four or more of the following food groups during previous 24 hr: grains, roots and tubers; legumes and nuts; dairy products (milk, yogurt, and cheese); flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry, and liver/organ meats); eggs; vitamin A‐rich fruits and vegetables; other fruits and vegetables.
Iron intake includes the ingestion of iron‐rich foods such as flesh foods (meat, fish, and liver) as well as iron‐fortified foods that are specially designed for infants and young children, or is fortified in the home.
Minimum acceptable diet (apart from breast milk) defined for breastfed children as having the minimum dietary diversity and the minimum meal frequency during the previous day. Nonbreastfed children must have been fed at least two milk feeds and be fed the minimum feeding frequency in the previous 24 hr.
Anthropometric indices were calculated using the WHO Multi‐Centre Growth Reference Standards (WHO, 2006).