Feeding practices, dietary adequacy, and dietary diversities among caregivers with under-five children: A descriptive cross-section study in Dodoma region, Tanzania

by Walter C. Millanzi, Patricia Z. Herman, Bariki A. Ambrose

Suboptimal feeding practices among caregivers contribute to nutritional-related health problems in children in low and middle-income countries, such as Tanzania. The continuum of the recommended feeding practices has been an utmost challenge among caregivers during the transition from health facilities to homes for improved under-five children’s health.

This study assessed feeding practices, dietary diversities, and dietary adequacy among caregivers with under-five children in the Dodoma region, Tanzania.

A community-based descriptive cross-sectional study in a quantitative research approach was adopted to study 289 randomly selected caregivers of under-five children in Dodoma region, Tanzania from March to August 2022. The World Health Organization Infant and Young Children Feeding Guidelines was the main data collection tool. Data were analyzed descriptively using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer software program version 25. Statistical limits were set at a 95% confidence interval and a 5% significance level.

Mean age was 26±6.47 of which 68.2% (n = 197) were females. Findings revealed 66.1% of caregivers had unsatisfactory feeding practices. It was observed that 67.8% of the caregivers fed their under-five children inadequately. Only 32.2% of them attained the minimum dietary diversity while 35.3% and 31.5% of caregivers demonstrated feeding practices < and > the recommended minimum Dietary diversity respectively. Moreover, 90.7% of caregivers fed their children group one food while 59.1% of them did not practice feeding the children snacks between meals. Feeding practice, dietary diversity, and dietary adequacy were significantly related to the caregiver’s sex, education level, and socioeconomic status (p<0.05).

Under-five children are at serious risk of nutritional problems as most caregivers in this study demonstrated unsatisfactory feeding practices on dietary diversities for dietary adequacy below the world health organization recommended Minimum Dietary diversity and Minimum Meal Frequency. Community-based nutritional education programs for caregivers need to be disseminated to the community level to address the problem accordingly.