Tamirat Tafesse, Abebe Sorsa Badacho and Desta Mota Kuma
Background: Nutritional adequacy can be maintained by meeting the key practices of complementary feeding as recommended by WHO and related organization for infant and young child. Timely introduction of complementary feeding is provision of liquid, solid or semisolid food in addition to breast milk starting from age of six month. The study aimed to assess timely introduction of complementary feeding among caregivers of children aged 6-12 month in Sodo town. Methods and findings: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sodo town administration, Wolaita zone between July to August 2015. A total of 503 mothers of children aged 6 to 12 month were included in the study. The proportion of timely introduction of complementary feeding among children 6-8 month’s age were 66.3%. Two hundred eighty nine (57%) children were introduced to liquid, while they were at the age of 6 month. Mothers who attended antenatal care were 2.79 times more likely to practice timely introduction of CF than mothers who had not attended antenatal Care (ANC) (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR): 2.79; 95% CI: 1.43-5.44; p<0.001). Those mothers who received counseling about Complementary feeding (CF) and assisted by health professional during delivery were more likely to introduce complementary food at the recommended age (AOR 1.92 CI: 1.08, 3.39; P<0.01) and AOR 3.68, CI: 2.12, 6.39; p<0.001) respectively. Conclusion: The Proportion of timely introduction of complementary feeding was low in study area. ANC visit, getting counseling and delivery assisted by health professionals found to be predicator’s timely introduction of complementary feeding.
