The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Breastfeeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Aged One to Five Years in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka


Affiliations
1 Department of Biochemistry, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Breastfeeding is essential to break the vicious cycle of under nutrition of children. This study was aimed to assess the breastfeeding practices and nutritional status of children aged one to five years in Jaffna district. The study design was descriptive cross sectional. Height, weight, haemoglobin, albumin and serum ferritin of children were measured. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic factors, breastfeeding practices and dietary pattern. Among the total of 846 children (414 boys), 64.4% (545) were exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Among 585 children who were breastfed, 55.6% were breastfed beyond two years while 12.6% were breastfed beyond three years. Working mothers (13.7%) had discontinued the exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) before the completion of six months (45.7%) when compared with the non-working mothers (67.4%). The prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting was 33, 22 and 26% respectively. Prevalence of under nutrition was significantly high (54.2%) in non-EBF children. Prevalence of anaemia was high among non-EBF children (45.8%). Furthermore the early cessation of EBF before six months depended on the type of family (nucleated or extended) and wealth class of the households (p<0.05). The rate of EBF was low in Jaffna District and duration of breastfeeding of most of the children had not reached 2 yrs. Prevalence of under nutrition was significantly high among the non-exclusively breastfed children. EBF for six months was not practised due to several factors and have contributed to high prevalence of malnutrition in Jaffna district.

Keywords

Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), Anthropometric Measurements, Feeding, under Nutrition, Complementary Feeding, Anaemia.
User
Notifications

  • Muchina, E.N. and Waithaka, P.M. Relationship between breastfeeding practices and nutritional status of children aged 0-24 months in Nairobi, Kenya. Afr. J. Fd. Agric. Nutr. Dev., 2010, 4.

  • Faruque, A.S., Ahmed, A.M., Ahmed, T., Islam, M.M., Hossain, M.I., Roy, S.K., et al. Nutrition: basis for healthy children and mothers in Bangladesh. J. Health Popul. Nutr., 2008, 26, 325-339.

  • Onayade, A.A., Abiona, T.C., Abiyomi, I.O. and Makanjuola, R.O.A. The first six months growth and illness of exclusively and non- exclusively breastfed infants in Nigeria. E. Afri. Med. J., 2004, 81, 146-153.

  • WHO/UNICEF. Infant and Young Child Feeding. 2003. http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_breastfeeding.html accessed 02 November 2015.

  • Michaelsen, K.F., Weaver, L., Branca, F. and Robertson, A. Breastfeeding and alternatives, complementary feeding; Feeding and Nutrition of Infants and Young Children, Guidelines for the WHO European Region, with emphasis on the former Soviet countries, 2003, 140-167.

  • Lucas A. “Programming by early nutrition: an experimental approach”. J. Nutr., 1998, 128, 401-406.

  • Martorell, R., Kettel Khan, L. and Schroeder, D.G. “Reversibility of stunting: epidemiological findings in children from developing countries”. Eur. J. Clin .Nutr., 1994, 48, 45-57.

  • World Health Organization (WHO): 55th World Health Assembly.WHA55.25. Infant and Young Child Nutrition. World Health Organization, 2002; http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/WHA55.25_iycn_en.pdf accessed 5 October 2015.

  • World Health Organization (WHO), “Complementary feeding of young children in developing countries: a review of current scientific knowledge” (WHO/NUT/98.1). World Health Organization, 1998. http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/WHO_NUT_98.1/en/ accessed 15 October 2015.

  • Joshi, P.C., Angdembe, M.R., Kumar Das, S., Ahmed, S., Faruque, A.S.G. and Ahmed, T. Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and associated factors among mothers in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study. Int. Breastfeed J., 2014, 9, 7.

  • Radhakrishnan, S. and Balamuruga, S. Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practices among rural women in Tamil Nadu. Int. J. Health Allied Sci., 2012, 1, 64-67.

  • Demographic and Health Survey (2006/2007), Department of Census and Statistics, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2009. http://www.statistics.gov.lk/social/DHS%20200607%20FinalReport.pdf accessed 22 February 2016.

  • Labbok, M.H. and Coffin, C.J. A call for consistency in definition of breastfeeding behaviors. Soc. Sci. Med., 1997, 44, 1931-1932.

  • Duncan, B., Ey, J., Holberg, C.J., Wright, A.L., Martinez, F.D. and Taussig, L.M. Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis media. Pediat., 1993, 91, 867-872.

  • Howie, P.W., Forsyth, J.S., Ogston, S.A., Clark, A. and Florey, C.D. Protective effect of breastfeeding against infection. Br. Med. J., 1990, 300, 11-16.

  • Owen, C.G., Martin, R.M., Whincup, P.H., Smith, G.D. and Cook, D.G. Effect of infant feeding on the risk of obesity across the life course: a quantitative review of published evidence. Pediat., 2005, 115, 1367-1377.

  • Greiner, T. 2014. Exclusive breastfeeding: measurement and indicators. Int. Breastfeeding J., 2014, 9, 18.

  • Agampodi, S. and Agampodi, T. and de Silva, A. Exclusive breastfeeding in Sri Lanka: problems of interpretation of reported rates. Int. Breastfeed J., 2009, 4, 14.

  • Webb, K., Marks, G.C., Lund-Adams, M., Rutishauser, I.H. and Abraham, B. Towards a national system for monitoring breastfeeding in Australia: recommendations for population indicators, definitions and next steps. Australian Food and Nutrition Monitoring Unit, 2001.

  • Piwoz, E.G., Creed de Kanashiro, H., Lopez de Romana, G., Black, R.E. and Brown, K.H. Potential for misclassification of infants’ usual feeding practices using 24-hour dietary assessment methods. J. Nutr., 1995, 125, 57-65.

  • Zohoori, N., Popkin, B.M., Fernandez, M.E. Breast-feeding patterns in the Philippines: a prospective analysis. J. Bio.soc. Sci., 1993, 25, 127-138.

  • Aarts, C., Kylberg, E., Hornell, A., Hofvander, Y., Gebre-Medhin, M. and Greiner, T. How exclusive is exclusive breastfeeding? A comparison of data since birth with current status data. Int. J. Epidemiol., 2000, 29, 1041-1046.

  • Seenyonga, R., Muwonge, R. and Nankya, I. Towards a better understanding of exclusive breastfeeding in the era of HIV/AIDS: a study of prevalence and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding from birth, in Rakai, Uganda. J. Trop. Pediat., 2004, 50, 348-353.

  • Agampodi, S.B., Agampodi, T.C. and Piyaseeli, U.K. Breastfeeding practices in a public health field practice area in Sri Lanka: a survival analysis. Int. Breastfeeding J., 2007, 2, 13.

  • Perera, P.J., Fernando, M., Warnakulasuria, T. and Ranathunga, N. Feeding practices among children attending child welfare clinics in Ragama MOH area: a descriptive crosssectional study. Int. Breastfeed J., 2011, 6, 18.

  • Al-Binali, A.M. Breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and practice among school teachers in Abha female educational district, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Int. Breastfeed J., 2012, 7, 10.

  • Greer, F.R., Sicherer, S.H. and Burks, A.W. Effects of early nutritional interventions on the development of atopic disease in infants and children: the role of maternal dietary restriction, breastfeeding, timing of introduction of complementary foods, and hydrolyzed formulas. Pediat., 2008, 121, 183-191.


Abstract Views: 318

PDF Views: 6




  • Breastfeeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Aged One to Five Years in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka

Abstract Views: 318  |  PDF Views: 6

Authors

Kandeepan Karthigesu
Department of Biochemistry, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Balakumar Sandrasegarampillai
Department of Biochemistry, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Vasanthy Arasaratnam
Department of Biochemistry, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Abstract


Breastfeeding is essential to break the vicious cycle of under nutrition of children. This study was aimed to assess the breastfeeding practices and nutritional status of children aged one to five years in Jaffna district. The study design was descriptive cross sectional. Height, weight, haemoglobin, albumin and serum ferritin of children were measured. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic factors, breastfeeding practices and dietary pattern. Among the total of 846 children (414 boys), 64.4% (545) were exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Among 585 children who were breastfed, 55.6% were breastfed beyond two years while 12.6% were breastfed beyond three years. Working mothers (13.7%) had discontinued the exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) before the completion of six months (45.7%) when compared with the non-working mothers (67.4%). The prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting was 33, 22 and 26% respectively. Prevalence of under nutrition was significantly high (54.2%) in non-EBF children. Prevalence of anaemia was high among non-EBF children (45.8%). Furthermore the early cessation of EBF before six months depended on the type of family (nucleated or extended) and wealth class of the households (p<0.05). The rate of EBF was low in Jaffna District and duration of breastfeeding of most of the children had not reached 2 yrs. Prevalence of under nutrition was significantly high among the non-exclusively breastfed children. EBF for six months was not practised due to several factors and have contributed to high prevalence of malnutrition in Jaffna district.

Keywords


Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), Anthropometric Measurements, Feeding, under Nutrition, Complementary Feeding, Anaemia.

References