Department of Community Medicine, Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences, Shivamogga
*Corresponding author: Vijaykumar Mane, Post graduate Student, Department of Community medicine, Shivamogga institute of Medical sciences, Shivamogga. Email ID: vijaymane01@gmail.com
Online published on 27 May, 2015.
The nutritional well-being of a population is both an outcome and an indicator of national development. Child is the chief victim of interplay of nutrition, socioeconomic and health factors that cause malnutrition. Nutritional status of children under 5 years is one of the most sensitive indicator of development of a particular area. Infant feeding practices comprising of both the breastfeeding as well as complementary feeding have major role in determining the nutritional status of the child.
To assess the prevailing infant and young child feeding practices in the study area.
Community based cross sectional study was conducted in Bhadravati taluk, Shivamogga. 210 children of either sex in the age group of 12 - 36 months were included in the study. Data was collected from mothers/guardian using a pretested and semi- structured questionnaire after taking an informed consent.
The study findings revealed that breastfeeding was almost universal (99.6%). Initiation of breastfeeding within one hour was practiced in majority i.e. 69.3% of children. Prelacteal feeds were given to 27.6% and colostrum was discarded in only a few (3.3%). Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months was given to 71.5% of the children. Breast milk was fed on demand in 44.3% of the subjects.
Breastfeeding, Complementary Feeding, Prelacteal Feeds, Commercial Infant Foods
