Background: Inappropriate complementary feeding practice could result in child illness, sub-optimal growth and\ndevelopment. Evidence shows a huge burden of inappropriate complementary feeding practice from global to\nnational level. But studies regarding predictors of inappropriate complementary feeding practices were scarce\nespecially in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine predictors and community level\nfactors associated with inappropriate complementary feeding practice among children age 6 to 23 months in\nWonago district, South Ethiopia.\nMethods: A community based unmatched case-control study design complemented by a qualitative and dietary\ndata was employed among children in Wonago district from April- 07 to June- 06, 2017. A total of 372 study\nsubjects were enrolled to the study by stratified sampling technique. Data were checked, coded and entered to Epi\ndata and exported to SPSS for analysis. Univariate, bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions analyses were\napplied. A p- value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significant level.\nResults: Paternal household decision making on feeding(AOR = 4.65, 95% CI = (1.69, 12.81)), family priority to elders\nduring feeding(AOR = 2.35, 95% CI = (1.08, 5.14)), absence of nearby health facility(AOR = 4.15, 95% CI = (1.63, 10.55)),\nunplanned pregnancy (AOR = 3.45, 95% CI = (1.21, 9.85)), missing ANC(AOR = 2.71, 95% CI = (1.48, 4.96)) and\nmissing EPI service utilization (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI = (1.34, 4.38)) were independent predictors of inappropriate\ncomplementary feeding practices. Whereas; lack of awareness, short birth spacing practice, poverty and feeding\nculture were community related factors. The nutrient density of complementary foods were below WHO desired\ndensity level except for energy, protein and vitamin C.\nConclusions: Inappropriate complementary feeding practice was related to household feeding cultures, health\nservice access and utilization and community related factors like awareness, poverty and low birth spacing.\nComplementary foods were found to have lower nutrient density than desired by WHO. Promoting communityâ??s\nhealth service utilization and increasing awareness regarding complementary feeding were recommended.
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