Association between women's empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

doi:10.1017/S1368980015002621

. 2015 Dec;18(17):3155-65.

doi: 10.1017/S1368980015002621. Epub 2015 Sep 8.

Association between women's empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Muzi Na¹, Larissa Jennings², Sameera A Talegawkar¹, Saifuddin Ahmed³

Affiliations

¹ 1Center for Human Nutrition,Department of International Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,615 N. Wolfe Street,W2041,Baltimore,MD 21205,USA.
² 2Social and Behavioral Interventions Program,Department of International Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
³ 3Department of Population,Family and Reproductive Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.

PMID: 26347195
PMCID: PMC10271619
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015002621

Association between women's empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Muzi Na et al. Public Health Nutr. 2015 Dec.

. 2015 Dec;18(17):3155-65.

doi: 10.1017/S1368980015002621. Epub 2015 Sep 8.

Authors

Muzi Na¹, Larissa Jennings², Sameera A Talegawkar¹, Saifuddin Ahmed³

Affiliations

¹ 1Center for Human Nutrition,Department of International Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,615 N. Wolfe Street,W2041,Baltimore,MD 21205,USA.
² 2Social and Behavioral Interventions Program,Department of International Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.
³ 3Department of Population,Family and Reproductive Health,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore,MD,USA.

PMID: 26347195
PMCID: PMC10271619
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015002621

Abstract

Objective: To explore the relationship between women's empowerment and WHO recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in sub-Saharan Africa.

Design: Analysis was conducted using data from ten Demographic and Health Surveys between 2010 and 2013. Women's empowerment was assessed by nine standard items covering three dimensions: economic, socio-familial and legal empowerment. Three core IYCF practices examined were minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were applied for the IYCF practices on dimensional and overall empowerment in each country.

Setting: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Subjects: Youngest singleton children aged 6-23 months and their mothers (n 15 153).

Results: Less than 35 %, 60 % and 18 % of children 6-23 months of age met the criterion of minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet, respectively. In general, likelihood of meeting the recommended IYCF criteria was positively associated with the economic dimension of women's empowerment. Socio-familial empowerment was negatively associated with the three feeding criteria, except in Zimbabwe. The legal dimension of empowerment did not show any clear pattern in the associations. Greater overall empowerment of women was consistently and positively associated with multiple IYCF practices in Mali, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. However, consistent negative relationships were found in Benin and Niger. Null or mixed results were observed in the remaining countries.

Conclusions: The importance of women's empowerment for IYCF practices needs to be discussed by context and by dimension of empowerment.

Keywords: Demographic and Health Surveys; Infant and young child feeding practices; Sub-Saharan Africa; Women’s empowerment.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
Conceptual framework linking economic, socio-familial and legal women’s empowerment with infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices

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References

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1. Victora CG, de Onis M, Hallal PC et al.. (2010) Worldwide timing of growth faltering: revisiting implications for interventions. Pediatrics 125, e473–e480. - PubMed
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1. Lassi ZS, Das JK, Zahid G et al.. (2013) Impact of education and provision of complementary feeding on growth and morbidity in children less than 2 years of age in developing countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 13, Suppl. 3, S13. - PMC - PubMed

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[1] Black RE, Victora CG, Walker SP et al.. (2013) Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet 382, 427–451. - PubMed

[2] Black RE, Victora CG, Walker SP et al.. (2013) Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet 382, 427–451. - PubMed

[3] Victora CG, de Onis M, Hallal PC et al.. (2010) Worldwide timing of growth faltering: revisiting implications for interventions. Pediatrics 125, e473–e480. - PubMed

[4] Victora CG, de Onis M, Hallal PC et al.. (2010) Worldwide timing of growth faltering: revisiting implications for interventions. Pediatrics 125, e473–e480. - PubMed

[5] Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA et al.. (2008) Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet 371, 243–260. - PubMed

[6] Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA et al.. (2008) Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet 371, 243–260. - PubMed

[7] Dewey KG & Adu‐Afarwuah S (2008) Systematic review of the efficacy and effectiveness of complementary feeding interventions in developing countries. Matern Child Nutr 4, Suppl. 1, 24–85. - PMC - PubMed

[8] Dewey KG & Adu‐Afarwuah S (2008) Systematic review of the efficacy and effectiveness of complementary feeding interventions in developing countries. Matern Child Nutr 4, Suppl. 1, 24–85. - PMC - PubMed

[9] Lassi ZS, Das JK, Zahid G et al.. (2013) Impact of education and provision of complementary feeding on growth and morbidity in children less than 2 years of age in developing countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 13, Suppl. 3, S13. - PMC - PubMed

[10] Lassi ZS, Das JK, Zahid G et al.. (2013) Impact of education and provision of complementary feeding on growth and morbidity in children less than 2 years of age in developing countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 13, Suppl. 3, S13. - PMC - PubMed

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Association between women's empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

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Association between women's empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

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