ASSESSMENT OF INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD FEEDING (IYCF) PRACTICES AND THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN AGED 0–23 MONTHS: A CASE STUDY OF YELWA TUDU, BAUCHI METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT This study was carried out to assess Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and the nutritional status of children aged 0–23 months in Yelwa Tudu, Bauchi Metropolis. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design, involving 300 mothers or caregivers selected through systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements obtained from child health cards. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and percentages to summarize findings, while Chi-square tests were used to determine associations between feeding practices and nutritional outcomes at a significance level of p < 0.05. The socio-demographic data showed that the majority of respondents were married (81%), mostly within the 25–34 years age range (40%), and had attained at least secondary education (38%). Occupation-wise, a larger proportion were traders (36%) and housewives (28%), reflecting a moderate economic background. Findings revealed that 93% of mothers breastfed their babies after birth, but only 68% initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of life as recommended by WHO. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months was practiced by 64%, while 36% introduced complementary foods earlier. The most common complementary food introduced was pap (45%), followed by mashed foods (28%). Feeding frequency was moderate — nearly half (49%) fed their children three to four times daily. However, dietary diversity was low, with only 58% of children receiving a variety of food groups daily. In terms of nutritional status, 60% of children were of normal weight-for-age, 25% were underweight, and 15% were overweight. Similarly, 22% were stunted (short for age), suggesting moderate malnutrition levels. 88% of children were fully immunized, but 37% had suffered an illness in the two weeks prior to data collection. Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between maternal education and exclusive breastfeeding (p < 0.05), occupation and feeding frequency (p < 0.05), and exclusive breastfeeding and child nutritional status (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that socio-economic and educational factors significantly influence IYCF practices and child nutrition. The study also found that financial constraints (42%), lack of knowledge (28%), and food unavailability (18%) were the major challenges affecting mothers’ ability to feed their children properly. Nevertheless, 91% of respondents expressed willingness to receive further education on child nutrition, indicating high receptivity to community-based health interventions. The study recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should intensify community-based health education on IYCF practices, emphasizing early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and appropriate complementary feeding.