Infant and Young Child Feeding Index is not Associated with Stunting among Children (6-23 months) in the Upper Manya Krobo District of Ghana

Abstract

The complexity in measuring feeding practices makes it difficult to study the relation between infant feeding practices and child nutritional characteristics. This cross-sectional study carried out in the Upper Manya Krobo District (UMKD) among 260 children aged 6-23 months was aimed at understanding the association between an infant and young child feeding index (ICFI) and the stunting (LAZ) of children in UMKD. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the study participants in UMKD, and child feeding practices were assessed with a single 24-h recall and a food group frequency. ICFIs constructed for children aged 6-8 mo, 9-11 mo and 12-23 mo were divided into terciles. The association between child Length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) and ICFI was examined separately in each of the age groups. Generalized linear models were used to control for socio-demographic and economic factors. Adjusted mean LAZ in poor, average and good categories of ICFI were, respectively, -0.42, -0.17, and -0.04 (p = 0.35) among children aged 6-8 mo; -0.51, -0.44, and -0.89 (p = 0.53) among children aged 9-11 mo; and -1.23, -1.13, and -0.85 (p = 0.19) among children aged 12-23 mo. Among the components of ICFI, food group frequency (past 7 days) was positively associated with the length for age Z-score for children aged 12-23mo (p < 0.05) and 6-8mo (p < 0.04). However, current breastfeeding and dietary diversity score negatively predicted the LAZ of children aged 12-23 months (p < 0.02) and children aged 6-8 months (p <0.03) respectively. Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) was independent of child Height-forage Z-score (HAZ) and the seven-day food group frequency positively predicted child length for age Z-scores. Thus, increasing the consumption of foods from different food groups will likely lead to a reduction in stunting among rural Upper Manya Krobo children.