Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions

ABSTRACT Appropriate infant feeding is crucial to ensure optimal child growth and survival. We aimed to assess infants' breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices from 0 to 12 months in Ethiopia. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Ethiopia Performance Monitoring for Act...

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Main Authors: Amare Tariku, Kassahun Alemu, Joanna Schellenberg, Tanya Marchant, Della Berhanu, Seblewengel Lemma, Atkure Defar, Theodros Getachew, Zewditu Abdissa, Tadesse Guadu, Solomon Shiferaw, Girum Taye, Meseret Zelalem, Lars Åke Persson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Maternal and Child Nutrition
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13804
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author Amare Tariku
Kassahun Alemu
Joanna Schellenberg
Tanya Marchant
Della Berhanu
Seblewengel Lemma
Atkure Defar
Theodros Getachew
Zewditu Abdissa
Tadesse Guadu
Solomon Shiferaw
Girum Taye
Meseret Zelalem
Lars Åke Persson
author_facet Amare Tariku
Kassahun Alemu
Joanna Schellenberg
Tanya Marchant
Della Berhanu
Seblewengel Lemma
Atkure Defar
Theodros Getachew
Zewditu Abdissa
Tadesse Guadu
Solomon Shiferaw
Girum Taye
Meseret Zelalem
Lars Åke Persson
author_sort Amare Tariku
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Appropriate infant feeding is crucial to ensure optimal child growth and survival. We aimed to assess infants' breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices from 0 to 12 months in Ethiopia. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Ethiopia Performance Monitoring for Action panel study performed from July 2020 to August 2021. One thousand eight hundred and fifty infants were included from five Ethiopian regions: Addis Ababa City Administration, Oromia, Amhara, Afar, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regions. Appropriate infant feeding practices were assessed using the World Health Organization measurement criteria and descriptive analysis. One‐year‐old infants were considered to have a diversified diet if they had complementary feeding comprising five or more food groups. Two‐thirds (67%, 95% CI: 63, 71) of newborns were put to the breast within 1 h after delivery. The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 6.5 months, and 69% (95% CI: 67, 71) were exclusively breastfed at 5 months. Almost all (97%; 95% CI: 96, 98) were still breastfeeding at 12 months. Sixteen percent (95% CI: 13, 19) of infants (boys 15%, girls 16%) aged 12 months had a diversified diet, and 49% (95% CI: 44, 55) consumed sugary foods or beverages. Most Ethiopian infants had appropriate breastfeeding practices, while almost all had poor‐quality complementary food at 1 year. Increasing access to high‐quality education on infant feeding is crucial to maintaining and enhancing appropriate breastfeeding practices and complementary food quality. Intensifying poverty reduction efforts are essential to improve infants' dietary diversity and nutrient‐dense food consumption.
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spelling doaj-art-ec9178ec276f4e7b9c8ebb5de15926fe2025-08-20T02:49:56ZengWileyMaternal and Child Nutrition1740-86951740-87092025-04-01212n/an/a10.1111/mcn.13804Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five RegionsAmare Tariku0Kassahun Alemu1Joanna Schellenberg2Tanya Marchant3Della Berhanu4Seblewengel Lemma5Atkure Defar6Theodros Getachew7Zewditu Abdissa8Tadesse Guadu9Solomon Shiferaw10Girum Taye11Meseret Zelalem12Lars Åke Persson13Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Gondar Gondar EthiopiaInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Gondar Gondar EthiopiaDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKHealth System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate Ethiopian Public Health Institute Addis Ababa EthiopiaInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Gondar Gondar EthiopiaInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Gondar Gondar EthiopiaSchool of Public Health Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa EthiopiaHealth System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate Ethiopian Public Health Institute Addis Ababa EthiopiaMaternal, Child & Adolescent Health Service Lead Executive Office Federal Ministry of Health Addis Ababa EthiopiaDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine London UKABSTRACT Appropriate infant feeding is crucial to ensure optimal child growth and survival. We aimed to assess infants' breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices from 0 to 12 months in Ethiopia. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Ethiopia Performance Monitoring for Action panel study performed from July 2020 to August 2021. One thousand eight hundred and fifty infants were included from five Ethiopian regions: Addis Ababa City Administration, Oromia, Amhara, Afar, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regions. Appropriate infant feeding practices were assessed using the World Health Organization measurement criteria and descriptive analysis. One‐year‐old infants were considered to have a diversified diet if they had complementary feeding comprising five or more food groups. Two‐thirds (67%, 95% CI: 63, 71) of newborns were put to the breast within 1 h after delivery. The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 6.5 months, and 69% (95% CI: 67, 71) were exclusively breastfed at 5 months. Almost all (97%; 95% CI: 96, 98) were still breastfeeding at 12 months. Sixteen percent (95% CI: 13, 19) of infants (boys 15%, girls 16%) aged 12 months had a diversified diet, and 49% (95% CI: 44, 55) consumed sugary foods or beverages. Most Ethiopian infants had appropriate breastfeeding practices, while almost all had poor‐quality complementary food at 1 year. Increasing access to high‐quality education on infant feeding is crucial to maintaining and enhancing appropriate breastfeeding practices and complementary food quality. Intensifying poverty reduction efforts are essential to improve infants' dietary diversity and nutrient‐dense food consumption.https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13804breastfeedingcomplementary feedingperformance monitoring for action studysugary food consumption
spellingShingle Amare Tariku
Kassahun Alemu
Joanna Schellenberg
Tanya Marchant
Della Berhanu
Seblewengel Lemma
Atkure Defar
Theodros Getachew
Zewditu Abdissa
Tadesse Guadu
Solomon Shiferaw
Girum Taye
Meseret Zelalem
Lars Åke Persson
Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
Maternal and Child Nutrition
breastfeeding
complementary feeding
performance monitoring for action study
sugary food consumption
title Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
title_full Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
title_fullStr Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
title_full_unstemmed Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
title_short Infant Feeding Practices in Ethiopia: Birth Cohort Study in Five Regions
title_sort infant feeding practices in ethiopia birth cohort study in five regions
topic breastfeeding
complementary feeding
performance monitoring for action study
sugary food consumption
url https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13804
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