The prevalence and multilevel analysis of minimum dietary diversity intake and its determinants among 6-23 months old infants in The Gambia: further analysis of the Gambian demographic and health survey data

Prevalence of multiple micronutrient powders consumption and its determinants among 6- to 23-month-old children in East Africa: a mixed effect analysis using the recent population based cross sectional national health survey

BACKGROUND

To address iron deficiency anemia, Multiple Micronutrient Powders (MMNPs) can be sprinkled onto any semisolid diet and given to young children. There is currently no data on actual MMNPs uptake by children; hence, the study's goal was to investigate MMNPs and determinants among children aged 6-23 months in East Africa.

METHODS

Data from the 2016-2022 East Africa demographic and health survey extracted from Kids Records (KR) files were used in this study. A total of 33,324 weighted 6- to 23-month-old child samples were included. For assessing model fitness and contrast, the intra-class correlation coefficient, median odds ratio, proportional change in variance, and deviance were used. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to identify variables that may influence MMNPs intake. In the multivariable multilevel logistic regression analyses, variables were judged to be significantly linked with MMNPs intake if their p-values were < 0.05.

RESULTS

In East Africa, the prevalence of MMNPs intake among infants aged 6-23 months was 6.45% (95% CI, 6.19%, 6.22%). Several factors were found to be significantly associated with MMNPs consumption. These factors include older maternal age (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.09, 1.39) and (AOR = 1.46, 95% CI, 1.23, 1.73), poorer (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.64, 0.84), middle (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.66, 0.86), richer (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI, 0.52, 0.71), and richest (AOR = 0.49, 95% CI, 0.41, 0.59) as compared to poorest, having employment status (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI, 0.59, 0.71), mass media exposure (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI, 1.35, 1.78), longer birth interval (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI, 1.28, 1.36), place of delivery (AOR = 1.46, 95% CI, 1.28,1.66), and mothers from rural areas (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI, 0.62,0.80).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, MMNPs intake was lower than the national and international recommendations. Only seven out of every hundred children received MMNPs. Improving maternal preventive health care and supporting marginalized women will have a positive impact.

Minimum meal frequency practice and associated factors among children aged 6-23 months old in The Gambia: a multilevel mixed effect analysis

A proxy measure for a child's energy needs, minimum meal frequency (MMF) looks at how often children were fed things other than breast milk. Infants and young children who do not consume enough food frequently are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, which can lead to increased morbidity and mortality as well as stunting and micronutrient deficiencies. There is no MMF recommended by studies in The Gambia. Hence, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the practice of MMF and the factors that influence it in children aged 6-23 months in The Gambia. Data from The Gambian Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS-2019/20) were used to identify factors affecting the MMF at individual and community levels. A multi-level regression model and weighted samples of 2100 children were employed for the investigation. After being examined by a p-value of < 0.25 in the binary regression, factors with a p-value of < 0.05 were judged statistically significant. This study found that about 57.95% had provided MMF. Primary and secondary educated mothers (aOR = 1.44, CI 1.11, 1.87), and (aOR = 1.43, CI 1.09, 1.86), wealthiest (aOR = 1.76, CI 1.04, 2.99), 35-49 years old mothers (aOR = 1.35, CI 1.01, 1.79), female household head (aOR = 0.72, CI 0.53, 0.98), breastfeeding status(aOR = 0.10, CI 0.07, 0.15), currently working (aOR = 1.27, CI 1.04, 1.56), 12-17 months child (aOR = 1.40, CI 1.13, 1.73), 18-23 months child (aOR = 1.44, CI 1.08, 1.91) have shown association with MMF. Regarding regions Mansakonko, Kerewan, Kuntaur, and Janjanbureh local government areas have shown (aOR = 3.51, CI 1.77, 6.97), (aOR = 5.17, CI 2.67, 9.99), (aOR = 2.26, CI 1.14, 4.47), and (aOR = 2.35, CI 1.19, 4.64) as compared to Banjul local government area. Comparing MMF in The Gambia to WHO standards, it must be considered low. Encouragement of women and coordinated enhancement of the current nutritional intervention are therefore effective in boosting children's consumption of a variety of foods.