Child Feeding Practices and Maternal Education

357 Words2 Pages
ABSTRACT The study area was the Tolon/Kumbungu district in the Northern region of Ghana with the ultimate aim of the research being finding out the effect of maternal education and child feeding practices on nutritional status of children (0-48 months). Mothers were interviewed on their educational background and the feeding practices they adopt for their children as well as taking anthropometric measurements of these children. A total of 200 mothers and their children (0-48months) were sampled from 10 communities in the 5 sub-districts of the Tolon/Kumbungu district. Data collected using questionnaires were analyzed with SPSS and results presented in tables and figures. Our research findings showed that maternal education level in the district is low as 75% of mothers had never attended school. Mothers of primary, JHS/Middle school and SHS background formed 10.5%, 6.0% and 4.0% respectively of our sampled mothers. Tertiary education and informal education formed 1.0% and 3.5% respectively of the population of our study mothers. Malnutrition situation in children (0-48 months) was found to be high as 39.0% for underweight and 57.5% for stunting whilst 11.5% were found to be wasted. Mothers in the district were noticed to have access to nutritional information and health personnel were also acclaimed to be the major source through which this information is distributed. Partially exclusive breastfeeding was found to be the main mode of breastfeeding practice among mothers who had children below six months at the time of our research. A high percentage of mothers were found to breastfeed on demand. Most women continued breastfeeding whiles feeding children with complementary food. Complementary foods were mostly prepared form foodstuffs which were locally available and prepared by mothers. Feeding practices such as mothers breastfeeding an hour after delivery,
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