Community Medicine Research Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, 60014618, Egypt.
Child Health Department, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, 60014618, Egypt.
BMC Pediatr. 2022 Dec 1;22(1):689. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03741-0.
Access to various affordable and nutritious foods is considered a challenging factor for households with limited resources affecting the proper weaning practices. In order to motivate communities to adhere to the right and proper weaning practices, the social aspect should be considered through close communication with the targeted communities. This study aimed to evaluate how impactful the use of the principles of Communication for Development (C4D) that respect parents' beliefs and their cultural norms is in improving the weaning practices and growth of infants in an Egyptian village.
An interventional three-phase study was conducted for three years. The intervention targeted 464 mothers of infants up to 2 years of age. C4D interventions encouraged each mother to provide her baby with nutritious and varied options through age-appropriate introduction and diversification of nutrient-rich complementary foods under the slogan " enjoy meals like a baby". The effectiveness of the approach was measured by five essential weaning practices: Introduction of solid, semi-solid, or soft foods, Minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, Minimum acceptable diet, and consumption of iron-rich foods.
There was marked and significant improvement in the awareness and of the majority of the weaning practices' indicators as a result of the interventions. This was noticed for the timely introduction of complementary foods which increased from 36.7% to 82.0%, the minimum meal frequency indicator (3-5) which increased from 25.3% to 67.3%, iron-rich or fortified food (68.0% to 82%) as well as a regular checkup for baby health at the health unit (71.3%). Indicators that were improved but failed to achieve the target were the "Minimum Dietary Diversity" (reached 32%) and the minimum acceptable diet (reached 22.0%). A significant effect on linear growth especially for females is evidenced by the remarkable decrease in wasting (from 31.5% to 11.1%) and obesity (from 12.0% to 0%) associated with a considerable decrease in underweight (from 40% to 16.7%).
Targeting caregivers through the C4D approach have succeeded in providing them with the support required for the provision of adequate nutrition for their infants that had significantly marked improvement in growth indices of their infants.
对于资源有限的家庭来说，获得各种负担得起且营养丰富的食物是一个挑战，这影响了适当的离乳实践。为了激励社区坚持正确和适当的离乳实践，应该通过与目标社区的密切沟通考虑社会方面。本研究旨在评估尊重父母信仰和文化规范的发展传播原则（C4D）在改善埃及村庄婴儿离乳实践和生长方面的影响。
进行了一项为期三年的干预性三阶段研究。该干预措施针对 464 名 2 岁以下婴儿的母亲。C4D 干预措施鼓励每位母亲通过适龄引入和多样化富含营养的补充食品，用“像婴儿一样享受膳食”的口号，为婴儿提供营养丰富和多样化的选择。该方法的有效性通过五个基本离乳实践来衡量：固体、半固体或软食品的引入、最低饮食多样性、最低用餐频率、最低可接受饮食和富含铁的食物的摄入。
由于干预措施，大多数离乳实践指标的意识和情况都有明显和显著的改善。这在补充食品的及时引入方面得到了体现，从 36.7%增加到 82.0%，最低用餐频率指标（3-5）从 25.3%增加到 67.3%，富含铁或强化食品（从 68.0%增加到 82%）以及定期在卫生单位检查婴儿健康（从 71.3%）。虽然有所改善但仍未达到目标的指标是“最低饮食多样性”（达到 32%）和最低可接受饮食（达到 22.0%）。线性生长的显著效果，特别是女性，体现在消瘦（从 31.5%减少到 11.1%）和肥胖（从 12.0%减少到 0%）的显著减少，同时体重不足（从 40%减少到 16.7%）也有相当大的减少。
通过 C4D 方法针对照顾者提供支持，成功地为他们提供了婴儿充足营养所需的支持，这显著改善了婴儿的生长指标。
