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. 2018 Jan 30:46:2.
doi: 10.1186/s41182-018-0084-y. eCollection 2018.

The association between infant and young child feeding practices and diarrhoea in Tanzanian children

Felix Akpojene Ogbo  1   2 , Hillary Nguyen  1 , Sabrina Naz  1 , Kingsley E Agho  1 , Andrew Page  1
Affiliations

The association between infant and young child feeding practices and diarrhoea in Tanzanian children

Felix Akpojene Ogbo et al. Trop Med Health. .

Abstract

Background: Diarrhoea is a leading cause of child mortality in Tanzania. The association between optimal infant feeding practices and diarrhoea has been reported elsewhere, but the evidence has been limited to promote and advocate for strategic interventions in Tanzania. This study examined the association between infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and diarrhoea in Tanzanian children under 24 months.

Methods: The study used the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data to estimate the prevalence of diarrhoea stratified by IYCF practices. Using multivariable logistic regression modelling that adjusted for confounding factors and cluster variability, the association between IYCF practices and diarrhoea among Tanzanian children was investigated.

Results: Diarrhoea prevalence was lower in infants aged 0-5 months whose mothers engaged in exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and predominant breastfeeding (PBF) compared to those who were not exclusively and predominantly breastfed. Infants aged 6-8 months who were introduced to complementary foods had a higher prevalence of diarrhoea compared to those who received no complementary foods, that is, infants who were exclusively breastfed at 6-8 months. Infants who were exclusively and predominantly breastfed were less likely to experience diarrhoea compared to those who were not exclusively and predominantly breastfed [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16-0.59, P < 0.001 for EBF and AOR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.10-0.89, P = 0.031 for PBF]. In contrast, infants aged 6-8 months who were introduced to complementary foods were more likely to experience diarrhoea compared to those who received no complementary foods (AOR = 2.91, 95% CI 1.99-4.27, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The study suggests that EBF and PBF were protective against diarrhoeal illness in Tanzanian children, while the introduction of complementary foods was associated with the onset of diarrhoea. Strengthening IYCF (facility- and community-based) programmes would help to improve feeding behaviours of Tanzanian women and reduce diarrhoea burden in children under 2 years.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; Children; Complementary feeding; Diarrhoea; Tanzania.

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Conflict of interest statement

Measured DHS/ICF International obtained ethical approval from the Medical Research Coordinating Committee (MRCC), the national health research coordinating body in Tanzania. All questionnaires used for the DHS were reviewed and approved by ICF International Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure they met the US Department of Health and Human Services regulations for the protection of human participants as well as the host country’s IRB, to ensure compliance with national laws. The datasets used are available to apply for online, and approval was obtained from Measured DHS/ICF International for the analysis.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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