KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES REGARDING COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING AMONG MOTHERS OF CHILDREN AGED 6-24 MONTHS ATTENDING A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN SOUTH KARNATAKA: A HOSPITAL-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background:-Complementary feeding is a critical component of infant and young child nutrition, as breast milk alone becomes insufficient to meet the increasing energy and nutrient requirements after six months of age. Appropriate complementary feeding, including timely initiation, adequate dietary diversity, appropriate meal frequency, safe food preparation, and responsive feeding, is essential for optimal growth and development. Inappropriate feeding practices may contribute to growth faltering, micronutrient deficiencies, and undernutrition. Maternal knowledge, attitudes, cultural beliefs, and socioeconomic factors significantly influence complementary feeding practices. Despite ongoing nutrition programmes, gaps in appropriate feeding practices persist in India. Therefore, assessing maternal knowledge, attitudes, and practices is essential for developing targeted interventions. Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding complementary feeding among mothers of children aged 6-24 months attending a tertiary care hospital in South Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A hospital based cross sectional observational study was conducted among 100 mothers of children aged 6-24 months attending the Pediatric Outpatient Department and Immunization Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in South Karnataka. Mothers who provided written informed consent were enrolled using consecutive sampling.