تاثير آموزش مادر بر وضع تغذيه كودكان خانوارهاي حاشيه نشين شهر كرمان

Impacts of motherʹs education on the nutritional status of children among households living in outskirts of Kerman

The main objective of this descriptive and analytical nutritional study was to evaluate the impact of a 4 -year nutrition education program of the mothers on the nutritional status of 6-48 month-old children living in the outskirts of city of Kerman . Out of 2 regions chosen for this purpose, one was randomly assigned to the study (SA) and the other to the control (CA) area. Data were collected at the beginning and at the end of the intervention using questionnaires, physical examination and anthropometric measurements. The nutrition education program was based on the baseline data and was implemented for 2.5 years in the SA. The progress evaluation of the program was made after 2 years of motherʹs nutrition education through a rapid nutrition survey of 24-35 month-old children. Analysis of the baseline data showed that protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) was a major nutritional problem of the 6-48 month - old children in both regions. Nutritional knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the mothers were low and related to their socio-economic status. The progress evaluation of the program. revealed a significantly decrease in percent of stunted 24-35 month-old children compared to that of the baseline data (P <0.03). There were improvements in the household per capita income (p<0.0001), spacing with the previous child (p <0.025), length of exclusive breast-feeding (p<0.01), age of starting weaning food (P<0.025) and proper order of introduction of supplementary foods (P<0.01). Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between (a) height for age and motherʹs literacy and nutrition education (p<0.01), Also education (p<0.05) and (b) weight for height and motherʹs literacy (p<0.05) and childrenʹs birthweight (p<0.05). Final analysis of the data demonstrated significant improvement in the motherʹs nutritional knowledge, type of the first supplementary food, and weaning age (p<0.0001). Therefore, it can be concluded that nutrition education increased motherʹs nutrition knowledge and improved to some extent the nutritional status of the children.