title: A child feeding index is superior to WHO IYCF indicators in explaining length-for-age Z-scores of young children in rural Cambodia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate young child feeding practices are influenced by a multitude of factors which affect growth and development. A combination of indicators is needed to explain the role of complementary feeding practices in growth retardation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional nutrition baseline survey was conducted in rural Cambodia in September 2012. Villages in pre-selected communes were randomly selected using stunting as a primary indicator. Data were collected from 803 randomly selected households with children aged 6-23 months, based on a standardised questionnaire and on length/height and weight measurements of mother and child. WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators [minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), minimum acceptable diet (MAD)] and a child feeding index (CFI) were created. The latter consisted of five components: breastfeeding, use of bottle, dietary diversity, food frequency and meal frequency which were adjusted for three age groups: 6-8, 9-11 and 12-23 months. The highest possible score was 10. Associations between length-for-age Z-scores (LAZ) and WHO indicators or CFI were explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) LAZ was -1·25 (1·14) (n  =  801). Mean (range) CFI was 6·7 (1-10) (n  =  797). Mean CFI was highest in the 9-11-months age group (7·93) and lowest for those aged 12-23 months (5·96). None of the WHO IYCF indicators was associated with LAZ, whereas CFI showed significant association with LAZ (P < 0·01). The association between higher CFI scores and LAZ became weaker as age increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results highlight the need to include a wide range of information in the analysis in order to understand the association between appropriate infant feeding practices and child growth.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reinbott
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuchenbecker
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Irmgard
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muehlhoff
authors.forename: Ou
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kevanna
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krawinkel
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002160:Cambodia; D002657:Child Development; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011897:Random Allocation; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cambodia; Child feeding index,; Complementary feeding,; Length-for-age Z-score,