Nutrient intakes from complementary foods consumed by young children (aged 12–23 months) from North Wollo, northern Ethiopia: the need for agro-ecologically adapted interventions.

Baye, Kaleab; Guyot, Jean-Pierre; Icard-Vernière, Christèle; Mouquet-Rivier, Claire

ObjectiveTo characterize current feeding practices and to evaluate the adequacy of energy and nutrient intakes of young children in subsistence farming rural households in North Wollo, Ethiopia.DesignA cross-sectional study examining sociodemographic status, anthropometry, breast-feeding and complementary feeding practices using two in-home non-consecutive 24 h recalls.SettingsTwo rural villages in the highlands and lowlands of Gobalafto district, North Wollo.SubjectsSeventy-six young children aged 12–23 months, thirty-nine from the lowlands and thirty-seven from the highlands.ResultsAbout 33 % of the children, ∼46 % in the highlands and 24 % in the lowlands (P = 0·05), were stunted. Complementary diets were low in animal products, fruits and vegetables. Cereals and legumes were the major sources of energy, protein, Ca, Fe, Zn and vitamin A. Legumes with potentially toxic components (grass pea, broad beans) and low nutrient-dense beverages such as tea were frequently consumed. Intakes of energy, Ca, Zn, vitamin A and vitamin C from complementary foods were below WHO recommendations assuming average breast-milk intakes. In contrast, Fe and protein intakes and densities met WHO recommendations. Although vitamin C intakes and densities were higher (P < 0·05) for the lowlands, they remained far below WHO recommendations.ConclusionsInterventions promoting the WHO guiding principles for complementary feeding practices and behaviours that take the agro-ecological contexts into account are needed here. Furthermore, specific recommendations should be formulated to discourage the consumption of grass pea, broad beans and low nutrient-dense beverages such as tea.

ETHIOPIA; INGESTION; FOOD combining; FOOD consumption; CHILD nutrition; AGRICULTURAL ecology; RURAL geography; SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors; CROSS-sectional method

Public Health Nutrition, 2013, Vol 16, Issue 10, p1741

1368-9800

Academic Journal

10.1017/S1368980012005277