EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING PRACTICE: ITS IMPLICATION ON NUTRITION STATUS, GROWTH AND MORBIDITY PATTERN AMONG INFANTS AGED 0-6 MONTHS
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Date
2014-03
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Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences
Abstract
Breast-feeding is an important determinant of a child’s nutritional status that eventually influences his/her growth and
development. This study sought to assess the exclusive breastfeeding rate and determine its association with nutrition status,
growth and morbidity pattern among infants aged 0-6 months in a peri urban settlement of Kangemi-Nairobi County, Kenya.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. A random sample of 334 infants was studied. Data collection tools and
methods included a semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. A chi-square test was used to find
associations at a significance level of 0.05. Findings showed that over a half (52.7%) of study infants were girls and almost a
half (47.3%) were boys. The mean age was 3±1.8 months. The exclusive breastfeeding rate was 45.5% and it was associated
with growth and stunting (9.3%) among study infants. Wasting (3.1%), underweight (4.5%) and morbidity pattern were not
related with exclusive breastfeeding.