Abstract :
Introduction: Despite global efforts for improving nutritional status of
children, desired outcomes could not be achieved. Infant and young child
feeding practices (IYCF) may be influenced by some intervention
Aim: To evaluate the effects of interventions on optimal IYCF practices.
Methodology: Community based longitudinal study was undertaken to find
IYCF status among children in Rural, Urban and Slum population of UT
Chandigarh. Mothers of infants willing to participate in the study and
satisfying the inclusion criteria and also children below three years of age
within selected clusters served as study units/respondents for qualitative as
well as quantitative surveys at pre-interventional and post-interventional
stages.
Results: There were 279 mothers surveyed in the study group and 228
mothers in the control group based on intervention and no intervention
respectively. About 46% mothers in the study group and 41.7 % mothers in
the control group were of the opinion that prelacteal feed (PLF) should not
be given. In both the groups, maximum of respondents were in favour of
feeding colostrum. Also, 43.3% mothers in study group and 41.7% mothers
in control groups opined that duration of breast feeding should be 6
months or more.
Conclusions and Suggestions: Present study provides evidence of positive
impact of interventions in terms of creating awareness and counselling of
mothers and elderly women in the community on adoption of optimal IYCF
by mothers. There is a need to plan area specific programs to create an
enabling environment for comprehensive health education of mothers so as
to protect, promote and sustain IYCF practices.
Keyword :
: Infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) pre-lacteal feed (PLF), Exclusive breast feeding (EBF), complementary feeding (CF)