COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES IN AFGHANISTAN

Background: Children in Afghanistan are at greater risk of malnutrition. Over 50% of children were suffering from malnutrition in Afghanistan in 2012, which has a long-lasting physical, mental, social, and impact on children.

Study purpose: The purpose of this research study was to explore the association between parents knowledge, attitudes, and practices about complementary feeding and stunting in children in Afghanistan. The predictor variables were mothers knowledge, attitudes, and practices about complementary feeding and the outcome variable was stunting status of children aged 6 to 24 months.

Research methods:A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with randomly selected participants who were living in Kabul, Afghanistan. Logistic regressionmodels were used to analysethe data.

Research setting: This research was conducted in 6 hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Study participants: The study participants included 306 mothers who had children aged between 6-24 months.

Results: Mothers knowledge, attitudes, and practices were significant predictors of stunting in children, χ2 (9, N = 306) = 45.33, p < .001 χ2 (9, N = 306) = 26.71, p < .01 and χ2 (9, N = 306) = 56.97, p <.001.Mothers who did not practice responsive feeding were 7.1 times more likely to have stunted children than mothers who practiced responsive feeding.

Social and policy implications: The social and policy implications of this research study include reviewing nutrition policies, investing in nutrition programs, and increasing public education and awareness in promoting appropriate complementary infant feeding practices in Afghanistan.