Abstract:
Objective: Mothers of young children in Ghana
believe that breastfeeding exclusively for six months
impairs subsequent introduction of other foods. The
current study was designed to determine whether
feeding adequacy among 9-23 months old children is
influenced by duration of exclusive breastfeeding.
Design: We surveyed 300 mother-infant pairs
attending child-welfare-clinic at the University of
Ghana Hospital, Accra. Data collected included sociodemographic
characteristics, morbidity, breastfeeding
history, and maternal practices and perception on child
feeding and temperament. Current child feeding was
assessed using 24-hour dietary recall. Adequately fed
children were defined as 9-23 month old children
meeting three basic feeding adequacy thresholds: 1)
was fed complementary foods, at least three times in
the last 24 hours, 2) was fed from at least three food
groups, and 3) received breast milk in the last 24 hours.
Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify
independent predictors of child feeding adequacy.
Results: About 66% of children were exclusively
breastfed for six months and only 56% were adequately
fed in the in the 24 hours preceding the survey. Child
feeding adequacy was unrelated to duration of
exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.73; p=0.30). After
controlling for child sex, age, and maternal education,
the independent determinants of feeding adequacy
included recent child morbidity (OR=0.41; p=0.03),
number of caregivers who feed child (OR=1.33;
p=0.03), and maternal perception that child does not
like food (OR=0.25; p<0.01).
Child temperament was unrelated to feeding adequacy.
Conclusion: Child feeding adequacy is not affected by
duration of exclusive breastfeeding. The study provides
evidence to address misperceptions about exclusively
breastfeeding for six months.