Optimal Complementary Feeding Practice and Associated Factors among Children in Konso Zone, South Ethiopia

Meseret Girma Abate^1,2*Zelalem Tafese Wondimagegne³Tefera Belachew Lema⁴

• ¹College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
• ²School of Nutrition & food Science Technology, Hawassa University, Ethiopia, Hawassa University, Awasa, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
• ³Hawassa University, Awasa, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
• ⁴Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Introduction: Despite the critical importance of complementary feeding, a significant number of young children in developing countries have suboptimal complementary feeding practices. After six months, a nutrient-dense, varied diet containing fruits and vegetables is crucial to complement breast feeding. There were evidence gaps on optimal complementary feeding practices among children in study area. Therefore, this study was conducted to fill this gap in order to design context-specific intervention.Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Konso Zone, in South Ethiopia, among 337 randomly selected mothers having children 6 to 23 months of age. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire using the Kobo Toolbox and exported to SPSS Version 25 for cleaning and analysis. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to determine independent predictors of optimal complementary feeding practice of mothers. Variables with a p-value <0.05 at a 95% confidence interval (CI) were considered statistically significant in the final model. The overall prevalence of optimal complementary feeding practice was 14.8% [95% CI: 11.80%, 19.10%]. The practices of timely initiation of complementary feeding, minimum meal frequency, and minimum dietary diversity were 63.20%, 92.60%, and 20.50%, respectively. Mothers who were in advanced age (> 35 years) [AOR = 3.32, 95% CL: 1.59, 6.95], exchanged food items from the market [AOR = 2.23, 95% CL: 1.03, 4.77], and had accessibility and availability of fruit and vegetables [AOR = 4.16, 95% CL: 1.83, 9.43] were independent predictors of optimal complementary feeding practice. Significantly low proportion of children met the minimum complementary feeding recommendations. However, meal frequency showed relatively better adherence. Only one-fifth of young children achieved minimum dietary diversity, while more than two-thirds began complementary feeding earlier than the recommended six-month threshold. To improve complementary feeding practices, cost-effective interventions such as increasing access to fruits and vegetables and encouraging mothers to trade homegrown food items in local markets to diversify their children's diets could be beneficial. Additionally, targeted efforts should focus on enhancing key complementary feeding indicators of meal frequency, timely introduction of complementary foods, and achieving minimum dietary diversity to improve children's nutritional needs.