“Nourishing Recovery: Maternal Feeding Practices during Diarrhea and Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) among under-five children in an urban resettlement area of Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh”
Keywords:
Feeding Practices, Diarrhea, ARI, Child Nutrition, Mothers, Child HealthAbstract
Background: Global studies have shown that children’s growth can be severely impacted during and after illnesses like Diarrhea and ARI if their diet fails to provide the necessary extra nutrients for recovery. Increasing fluid intake while continuing to feed during illness can significantly impact child health outcomes.
Aim & Objective: To assess mothers’ feeding practices during diarrhea and ARI in urban resettlement areas and determine factors influencing the feeding practices.
Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban resettlement area of Gautam Budh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Methods and Materials: 418 mothers of under-five children were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested questionnaire.
Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Chi-Square test was used to find statistically significant associations between feeding practices during illness and different sociodemographic and healthcare-related factors.
Results: Appropriate feeding practices during diarrhea and ARI in the under-five children were followed by 19.9% mothers/ caregivers. On bivariate analysis, Associations between appropriate feeding practices and the child's age, mother's age, the number of PNC visits for the mother, and the child's current breastfeeding status were found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of targeted interventions to improve feeding practices during Diarrhea and ARI. Strengthening postnatal care services and providing support to mothers, particularly those who are younger, can have a positive impact on maternal feeding practices.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Kabita Barua, Mohammad Meraj Gohar, Harsh Mahajan, Shalini Srivastava, Neeraj Pal Singh, Ishant Kumar
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