Socioeconomic Characteristics of Child-Bearing Mothers and Feeding Practices of Under-Five Children in Kori Chiefdom, Sierra Leone  

作　　者：Victoria N. Blango Samuel B. Weekes Kadijatu B. Sheriff Alpha Sesay Victoria N. Blango;Samuel B. Weekes;Kadijatu B. Sheriff;Alpha Sesay(Institute of Geography and Development Studies, School of Environmental Sciences, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone;Institute for Population Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone;Department of Forestry, School of Natural Resources Management, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone)

机构地区：[1]Institute of Geography and Development Studies, School of Environmental Sciences, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone [2]Institute for Population Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone [3]Department of Forestry, School of Natural Resources Management, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone

出　　处：《Food and Nutrition Sciences》2022年第6期526-540,共15页食品与营养科学（英文）

摘　　要：Introduction: The use of proper feeding practices is key for the overall development of children. Generally, breastfeeding and complementary feeding make up the diet and therefore the nutritional status of children. However, the degree to which mothers adhere to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) regarding breastfeeding and complementary feeding is key to the nutritional status of children. Again, the adherence to this dietary recommendation is contingent on the socio-economic conditions of the child-bearing parents, especially the mothers. Here in this study, the socio-economic characteristics were analyzed along with the feeding practices of children not more than five years old in rural Sierra Leone. Method: Data were collected in 2017 on representative mothers with children within 0 - 5 years old. A total of 10 communities and 200 respondents were randomly covered in the Kori Chiefdom of Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. The data collection instruments included structured questionnaire, inter-personal interaction, personal observation and experience. The collected data were analyzed in Microsoft Excel and SPSS and the results presented in simple graphs. Results: A large number of the respondents were married teenage mothers with 1 - 2 children and living under extreme hardship by the United Nations (UN) standard. Also, most of the mothers were illiterate and started breastfeeding their children within the very hour of birth. Because complementary feeding was started all too early, exclusive breastfeeding last for not more than two months for most of the respondent mothers. Also, because rice is by far the most widely eaten the staple food in Sierra Leone, complementary food was mostly powdered rice mixed with salt and oil. Hardly was protein food supplement used as complementary food, probably due to the economic conditions of the poor rural women. Conclusion: The study has thrown sufficient light on the socio-economic characteristics andIntroduction: The use of proper feeding practices is key for the overall development of children. Generally, breastfeeding and complementary feeding make up the diet and therefore the nutritional status of children. However, the degree to which mothers adhere to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) regarding breastfeeding and complementary feeding is key to the nutritional status of children. Again, the adherence to this dietary recommendation is contingent on the socio-economic conditions of the child-bearing parents, especially the mothers. Here in this study, the socio-economic characteristics were analyzed along with the feeding practices of children not more than five years old in rural Sierra Leone. Method: Data were collected in 2017 on representative mothers with children within 0 - 5 years old. A total of 10 communities and 200 respondents were randomly covered in the Kori Chiefdom of Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. The data collection instruments included structured questionnaire, inter-personal interaction, personal observation and experience. The collected data were analyzed in Microsoft Excel and SPSS and the results presented in simple graphs. Results: A large number of the respondents were married teenage mothers with 1 - 2 children and living under extreme hardship by the United Nations (UN) standard. Also, most of the mothers were illiterate and started breastfeeding their children within the very hour of birth. Because complementary feeding was started all too early, exclusive breastfeeding last for not more than two months for most of the respondent mothers. Also, because rice is by far the most widely eaten the staple food in Sierra Leone, complementary food was mostly powdered rice mixed with salt and oil. Hardly was protein food supplement used as complementary food, probably due to the economic conditions of the poor rural women. Conclusion: The study has thrown sufficient light on the socio-economic characteristics and

关 键 词：Child-Bearing Mother Infant/Young Child Feeding Practice Socio-Economic Factor Kori Chiefdom 

分 类 号：TP3[自动化与计算机技术—计算机科学与技术]