In-Depth Review of Caregivers’ Nutrition Education effects, on Complementary Feeding Practices in Nigeria

Akinrinmade Remilekun*

• Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Nigeria

Received: November 21, 2019;   Published: December 02, 2019

*Corresponding author: Akinrinmade Remilekun, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria

DOI: 10.32474/SJFN.2019.02.000139

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Abstract

This study is an in-depth finding of the effect of nutrition education on caregivers’ complementary feeding practices. The WHO recommendations for optimal complementary feeding are based on continued breastfeeding, early introduction of solid or soft diet, minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) in terms of food groups. Improved knowledge on adequate complementary feeding could positively affect the attitude of caregivers towards complementary feeding practices. Meanwhile, effect of demographic and socio-economic status was also reviewed. Materials used for this study are secondary data from archived materials and existing literature on effects of nutrition education on complementary feeding in Nigeria and other developing. The study showed that reports on complementary feeding practices in developing countries are rated inadequate, with inappropriate early introduction of complementary feeding. Complementary feeding was either introduced too early or too late with thin and low iron rich and vitamin A rich diet. Study revealed poor practices of Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF) and Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD). Force feeding overrides responsive feeding which attracts other complicated health issues among the infants. The final summary showed that nutrition education will be an effective tool to solve the problem of inadequacy in complementary feeding practices.