title: Inappropriate Feeding Behavior: One of the Important Causes of Malnutrition in 6- to 36-Month-Old Children in Myanmar.
abstract: The complementary feeding period is an important time for children's growth and development. This study was conducted to 1) determine the feeding behaviors of 6- to 36-month-old children in Myanmar, 2) explore health effects of feeding behaviors, and 3) determine factors associated with feeding behaviors. A total of 807 children and their mothers (N = 642) were recruited from nine villages in Kachin, Shan, and Kokang, Myanmar. Feeding behaviors and sociodemographic characteristics were investigated using a validated questionnaire. Hemoglobin and anthropometric indicators were measured during the fieldwork. In our sample, 18.6%, 72.7%, and 9.8% of children were introduced to complementary foods (CFs) earlier than 4 months of age, between 4 and 8 months of age, and later than 8 months of age, respectively. For different types of CFs, up to the age of 24.1-36 months, there were still 6.5% and 4.1% of the children who had never been introduced to eggs and meat. Introduction of CFs earlier than 4 months of age was a risk factor for being underweight (age-adjusted odds ratio (ORadjust-age) = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.5) and for stunting (ORadjust-age = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), whereas introduction of CFs later than 8 months of age was a risk factor for anemia (ORadjust-age = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.7-7.2). Mothers who had anemia (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 2.0-6.9) tended toward early introduction of CFs. Women with a lower family income tended toward later introduction of CFs (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3-3.3). This study demonstrated that inappropriate feeding behavior was one of the important causes of malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, Peopl's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongchong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Health Poverty Action Eastern Asia Program Office, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Health Poverty Action Eastern Asia Program Office, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Health Poverty Action Eastern Asia Program Office, Rangoon, Myanmar.
authors.forename: Naing Naing
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Win
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, Peopl's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peiyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Health Poverty Action Eastern Asia Program Office, Rangoon, Myanmar.
authors.forename: Jiayin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Science Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, People's Republic of China. Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, People's Republic of China. zhangyumei111@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yumei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology