Association of Malnutrition with Weaning Practices among Infants In Pakistan

Abstract

OBJECTIVES To determine the association between weaning practice and malnutrition among infants. METHODOLOGY This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics in Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals, Swat, with 133 participants selected using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Infants of both genders, aged one year or younger, and Pakistani nationals with mentally sound mothers were included, while premature infants (born before the 37th week of gestation) and those with congenital diseases were excluded. Demographic information, height and weight measurements, weaning practices, and the age at which regular weaning was initiated were collected. Weaning practices (at <6 months, 6 months, and >6 months) were recorded by questioning mothers. The association between weaning practices and malnutrition was determined using the chi-square test at a significant level of p<0.05. RESULTSThe male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1, with 50.9% wearing a prosthesis for less than a year and the minimum range being 3-6 years (13.66 %). Only 31 had stereognosis positive but were completely satisfied with their prosthesis, while 85 who were unsatisfied were found to have positive sensory perception. Statistical analysis for all groups shows a p-value of 0.000 for patient satisfaction with denture wear which is statistically significant. Most patients with the least duration of wear found their stereognosis positive and were unsatisfied with the prosthesis and vice versa. The chi-square test shows a statistically significant value for both groups of stereognosis i-e 0.0001.. CONCLUSION Early initiation of weaning (before six months of age) was associated with a lower incidence of malnutrition among infants.