Impact of type of child growth intervention program on caregivers’ child feeding knowledge and practices: A comparative study in Ga West Municipality, Ghana

Community-Based Growth Promotion (CBGP) delivered by community volunteers aims at enhancing the traditional Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) programme delivered by community health nurses through the promotion of optimum infant and young child feeding (IYCF) leading to improved child growth. This study compared IYCF knowledge and practices among caregiver-child pairs (0-24 months) receiving child welfare services from CBGP (n=124) and GMP (n=108) programmes. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to interview caregivers on IYCF knowledge/practices and validated food frequency questionnaire used to record infants’ food intakes. Group differences were determined using Chi-square and independent samples t-tests (p<0.05; 95% CI). Mean IYCF knowledge scores were similar (CBGP:10.84±1.69 vs. GMP:10.23±1.38, p=0.062). However, more CBGP caregivers (17%) were highly knowledgeable than their GMP counterparts (5%) (p=0.011). Early breastfeeding initiation (CBGP:54% vs. GMP:28%, p<0.0001), exclusive breastfeeding (CBGP:73% vs. GMP:56%, p=0.001) and timely complementary feeding (CBGP:72% vs. GMP:49%, p=0.014) were reportedly higher among CBGP caregivers. Underweight was 11% (CBGP:8% vs. GMP:14%, p=0.154. Mean dietary diversity scores (10 food groups) were similar (CBGP:4.49±1.89 vs. GMP:3.87±1.89, p=0.057) but more CBGP caregivers (77%) achieved minimum dietary diversity than their GMP counterparts (61%) (p=0.035). Few caregivers achieved minimum meal frequency (CBGP:31% vs. GMP:29%, p=0.486) and minimum acceptable diet (CBGP:23% vs. GMP:21%, p=0.464) indicators. Number of children under 5 years owned by caregiver (AOR: 0.405; 95% CI: 1.13-78.53, p=0.038), her educational level (AOR: 0.112; 95% CI: 0.02-0.90, p=0.040) and IYCF knowledge (AOR: 0.140; 95% CI: 0.03-0.79, p=0.026) significantly predicted optimum child feeding. Nutrition education on optimum complementary feeding and birth spacing strategies should intensify.

Citation

Agbozo, F., Colecraft, E., & Ellahi, B. (2015). Impact of type of child growth intervention programme on caregivers’ child feeding knowledge and practices: A comparative study in Ga West Municipality, Ghana Food Science & Nutrition. Food Science and Nutrition, 4(4), 562-572. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.318

Publisher

Wiley

Journal

Food Science and Nutrition

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10034/615375

DOI

10.1002/fsn3.318

Type

Article

Language

en

Description

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Agbozo, F., Colecraft, E., & Ellahi, B. (2015 - in press). Impact of type of child growth intervention programme on caregivers’ child feeding knowledge and practices: A comparative study in Ga West Municipality, Ghana Food Science & Nutrition. Food Science and Nutrition. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.318, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.318/abstract.

EISSN

2048-7177

Additional Links

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.318/abstract