title: Weaning practices in Ilorin community, Nigeria.
abstract: The paper examines the knowledge, attitude and practice of weaning in 516 mothers in Ilorin community, the capital of Kwara State of Nigeria. Women with a higher level of education and family income breastfed for a shorter period, and tended to wean earlier than the illiterate and low income group (p less than 0.05). Two hundred and twenty-eight mothers (44.2%) had commenced weaning by 3 months of age while 433 (83.9%) had done so by 6 months. Hunger, indicated by crying after a feed or demanding more frequent feeds, was the commonest reason for weaning (36.2%). Pap (maize or guineacorn gruel), an energy-sparse food remained the major weaning food irrespective of socio-economic characteristics. Fortification of pap was positively influenced by a high family income and education. Diarrhoea, associated with bottlefeeding or cow-pea diet, was the major cause of morbidity reported during weaning (55.8%). Ways of improving child health during the weaning period are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Fagbule
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olaosebikan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009017:Morbidity; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D009549:Nigeria; D014886:Weaning