title: Effects of a community-based nutrition promotion programme on child feeding and hygiene practices among caregivers in rural Eastern Ethiopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based participatory nutrition promotion (CPNP) programme involving a 2-week group nutrition session in improving child feeding and hygiene practices among caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster randomized trial. In the intervention area (six clusters), the CPNP programme was added to the context of government nutrition programmes; the control area (six clusters) received the government programme only. Child feeding practices were assessed every 3 months using a 24 h dietary recall questionnaire, and hand washing with soap was assessed every 6 months, over a period of 12 months. Feeding and hygiene measures at each visit were scored and the scores summed up for the entire follow-up period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Habro and Melka Bello districts, Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly selected mothers with a child aged 6-12 months (n 1790).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1199 mothers, 629 in the control and 570 in the intervention areas, were assessed at all visits and included in the analysis. Mothers in the intervention area showed higher scores than those in the control area regarding meal frequency (difference: 1·04, 95 % CI 0·35, 1·73), composite feeding score_1 (difference: 1·25, 95 % CI 0·37, 2·13; a summing score of currently breast-feeding, meal frequency and dietary diversity) and composite feeding score_2 (difference: 1·40, 95 % CI 0·49, 2·32; a summing score of meal frequency and dietary diversity). However, there were no differences in the scores of breast-feeding, dietary diversity and hand washing between the two areas (all P>0·05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CPNP programme was effective in improving some child feeding behaviours in rural Eastern Ethiopia.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of International Health,Center for Human Nutrition,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,615 N. Wolfe Street,Baltimore,MD 21205,USA.
authors.forename: Yunhee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: 2Research and Nutrition Strategy Team,Wholistic Interest Through Health,Seoul,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Youn Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: 3Health/Nutrition Department,Goal Global,Dublin,Ireland.
authors.forename: Lemma
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Debele
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Medical Oncology,Thomas Jefferson University,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Hee-Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Juon
authors.affiliation: 5Global Development,Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,Seattle,WA,USA.
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D017028:Caregivers; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D005002:Ethiopia; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005523:Food Supply; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D011939:Mental Recall; D009035:Mothers; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012424:Rural Population; D018401:Sample Size; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community-based participatory nutrition promotion; Composite feeding scores; Effectiveness evaluation; Ethiopia; Infant and young child feeding