American Journal of Health Research

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Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda

Received: 24 February 2015    Accepted: 07 March 2015    Published: 16 March 2015
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Abstract

A Cross-sectional sample of households that were involved in farming of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and had 2–6 year old children were purposively selected from four divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (Kawempe, Rubaga, Makindye and Nakawa) to participate in a controlled, cohort intervention. Respondents in Kawempe division had received training in production of OFSP and nutrition education; in Rubaga division respondents had only training in production of OFSP; in Nakawa division they only had nutrition education while in Makindye division the respondents did not training in nutrition education and production of OFSP and thus served as the control. A total of 457 households were involved in the study and a coded questionnaire was used to collect data on caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes and practices of child nutrition after the 12 month intervention. Chi-square tests were used to test for significant relationships (p≤0.05) amongst variables of interest. Results of the study show that majority of the children (2-6 years) take their meals from that of the family. At least 20% of the respondents serve lunch and dinner separately for the child with no significant differences among the divisions. Thus any major nutritional interventions should target the caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of child feeding and the first meal the child takes. On preparation of meat, 71% of the respondents who received nutrition education gave correct advice compared to 28% who did not receive the intervention. With regard to Maize porridge and beans preparation, significant differences could not be attributed to the intervention. However, 40% of the respondents in Nakawa and Makindye gave advice that was not helpful and so could not be adequately followed in the correct preparation of maize porridge and beans for the children. Preparation of kitoobero, a highly nutritious complementary dish for weaning children, was taught during the nutrition education sessions. Significantly more respondents who received nutrition education identified at least two combinations of foods used for kitoobero (65%) compared to about 5% of those who did not receive the intervention. The study found that majority of the respondents, 65% and 80% respectively in Kawempe and Rubaga compared to over 85% in Nakawa and Makindye had not prepared kitoobero seven days prior to the study. The results show that nutrition education significantly impacts on knowledge of meal preparation for weaning children, attitudes, and practices of child feeding. It is recommended that nutrition education as a strategy of improving child feeding knowledge and practices should be taken up by the public health sector so as to boost the fight against malnutrition which is a major problem in Uganda.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15
Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2015)
Page(s) 82-90
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Nutrition Education, Child Feeding Practices, Caregivers, Malnutrition

References
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[7] Lutter CK, Daelmans BM, de Onis M, Kothari MT, Ruel MT, Arimond M, Deitchler M, Dewey KG, Blössner M, Borghi E. Undernutrition, poor feeding practices, and low coverage of key nutrition interventions. Pediatrics. 2011; 128(6):e1418-27.
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[17] Webb P, Block S. Nutrition knowledge and parental schooling as inputs to child nutrition in the long and short run. Nutrition Working Paper No. 3. BAPPENAS/DEPARTMEN PERTANIAN/USAID/DAI FOOD POLICY ADVISORY TEAM. 2003. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnade922.pdf.
[18] Salehi M, Kimiagar SM, Shahbazi M, Mehrabi Y, Kolahi AA. Assessing the impact of nutrition education on growth indices of Iranian nomadic children: an application of a modified beliefs, attitudes, subjective-norms and enabling-factors model. Br J Nutr. 2004; 91(5):779-787.
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Author Information
  • Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Department of Biosecurity, Ecosystems and Veterinary Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

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    Josephine Nabugoomu, Agnes Namutebi, Archileo N. Kaaya, George Nasinyama. (2015). Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda. American Journal of Health Research, 3(2), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15

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    ACS Style

    Josephine Nabugoomu; Agnes Namutebi; Archileo N. Kaaya; George Nasinyama. Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda. Am. J. Health Res. 2015, 3(2), 82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15

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    AMA Style

    Josephine Nabugoomu, Agnes Namutebi, Archileo N. Kaaya, George Nasinyama. Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda. Am J Health Res. 2015;3(2):82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15,
      author = {Josephine Nabugoomu and Agnes Namutebi and Archileo N. Kaaya and George Nasinyama},
      title = {Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda},
      journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {82-90},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20150302.15},
      abstract = {A Cross-sectional sample of households that were involved in farming of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and had 2–6 year old children were purposively selected from four divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (Kawempe, Rubaga, Makindye and Nakawa) to participate in a controlled, cohort intervention. Respondents in Kawempe division had received training in production of OFSP and nutrition education; in Rubaga division respondents had only training in production of OFSP; in Nakawa division they only had nutrition education while in Makindye division the respondents did not training in nutrition education and production of OFSP and thus served as the control. A total of 457 households were involved in the study and a coded questionnaire was used to collect data on caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes and practices of child nutrition after the 12 month intervention. Chi-square tests were used to test for significant relationships (p≤0.05) amongst variables of interest. Results of the study show that majority of the children (2-6 years) take their meals from that of the family. At least 20% of the respondents serve lunch and dinner separately for the child with no significant differences among the divisions. Thus any major nutritional interventions should target the caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of child feeding and the first meal the child takes. On preparation of meat, 71% of the respondents who received nutrition education gave correct advice compared to 28% who did not receive the intervention. With regard to Maize porridge and beans preparation, significant differences could not be attributed to the intervention. However, 40% of the respondents in Nakawa and Makindye gave advice that was not helpful and so could not be adequately followed in the correct preparation of maize porridge and beans for the children. Preparation of kitoobero, a highly nutritious complementary dish for weaning children, was taught during the nutrition education sessions. Significantly more respondents who received nutrition education identified at least two combinations of foods used for kitoobero (65%) compared to about 5% of those who did not receive the intervention. The study found that majority of the respondents, 65% and 80% respectively in Kawempe and Rubaga compared to over 85% in Nakawa and Makindye had not prepared kitoobero seven days prior to the study. The results show that nutrition education significantly impacts on knowledge of meal preparation for weaning children, attitudes, and practices of child feeding. It is recommended that nutrition education as a strategy of improving child feeding knowledge and practices should be taken up by the public health sector so as to boost the fight against malnutrition which is a major problem in Uganda.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    T1  - Nutrition Education Influences Child Feeding Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Uganda
    AU  - Josephine Nabugoomu
    AU  - Agnes Namutebi
    AU  - Archileo N. Kaaya
    AU  - George Nasinyama
    Y1  - 2015/03/16
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15
    T2  - American Journal of Health Research
    JF  - American Journal of Health Research
    JO  - American Journal of Health Research
    SP  - 82
    EP  - 90
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8796
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20150302.15
    AB  - A Cross-sectional sample of households that were involved in farming of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and had 2–6 year old children were purposively selected from four divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (Kawempe, Rubaga, Makindye and Nakawa) to participate in a controlled, cohort intervention. Respondents in Kawempe division had received training in production of OFSP and nutrition education; in Rubaga division respondents had only training in production of OFSP; in Nakawa division they only had nutrition education while in Makindye division the respondents did not training in nutrition education and production of OFSP and thus served as the control. A total of 457 households were involved in the study and a coded questionnaire was used to collect data on caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes and practices of child nutrition after the 12 month intervention. Chi-square tests were used to test for significant relationships (p≤0.05) amongst variables of interest. Results of the study show that majority of the children (2-6 years) take their meals from that of the family. At least 20% of the respondents serve lunch and dinner separately for the child with no significant differences among the divisions. Thus any major nutritional interventions should target the caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of child feeding and the first meal the child takes. On preparation of meat, 71% of the respondents who received nutrition education gave correct advice compared to 28% who did not receive the intervention. With regard to Maize porridge and beans preparation, significant differences could not be attributed to the intervention. However, 40% of the respondents in Nakawa and Makindye gave advice that was not helpful and so could not be adequately followed in the correct preparation of maize porridge and beans for the children. Preparation of kitoobero, a highly nutritious complementary dish for weaning children, was taught during the nutrition education sessions. Significantly more respondents who received nutrition education identified at least two combinations of foods used for kitoobero (65%) compared to about 5% of those who did not receive the intervention. The study found that majority of the respondents, 65% and 80% respectively in Kawempe and Rubaga compared to over 85% in Nakawa and Makindye had not prepared kitoobero seven days prior to the study. The results show that nutrition education significantly impacts on knowledge of meal preparation for weaning children, attitudes, and practices of child feeding. It is recommended that nutrition education as a strategy of improving child feeding knowledge and practices should be taken up by the public health sector so as to boost the fight against malnutrition which is a major problem in Uganda.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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