Abstract
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Background: Undernutrition is a public health concern among Filipino children. Infant and
Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices during the first two years of life may influence nutritional outcomes, but more studies are needed to explore the associations that exist between feeding practices and stunting & wasting among children.
Objective: This study aims to determine the association between IYFC practices and undernutrition, particularly wasting & stunting, among Filipino children aged 0 to 2 years based on the 2018-2019 and 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS).
Methods: Secondary data from the ENNS involving 14,882 children aged 0-23 months was analyzed, categorical and continuous data summarized with frequency counts and percentages, and mean and standard deviation, respectively. A univariable logistic regression model was used to investigate the IYCF nominal independent risk variables associated with undernutrition, followed by multinomial logistic regression analysis for variables with significant results.
Results: Stunting and wasting were documented at 23.0%, and 7.1%, respectively. Stunting and wasting were equally prevalent in urban and rural areas, and among poorer households. Stunting increased with age, while wasting was more prevalent among younger children aged 0-5 months. Several IYCF practices were significantly associated with stunting and wasting in univariable analysis, but effect sizes were small and many associations did not persist after adjustment. Compared with exclusive breastfeeding, predominant breastfeeding and other feeding patterns were associated with higher odds of stunting (OR 2.16–11.20), while prelacteal feeding and bottle feeding were associated with lower odds. Continued breastfeeding at 12–15 and 20–23 months, age-appropriate breastfeeding, and minimum acceptable diet were associated with increased odds of stunting. For wasting, continued breastfeeding at 12–15 and 20–23 months was associated with higher odds (OR 2.13 and 2.96, respectively), whereas minimum dietary diversity was protective
(OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45–0.79). Quantitative analyses also showed that longer breastfeeding duration was associated with higher odds of stunting (OR 1.09 per month), while greater dietary diversity was associated with lower odds of wasting (OR 0.83 per unit) but higher odds of stunting (OR 1.06 per unit).
Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life, and timely, adequate, and varied complementary feeding thereafter. Integrated efforts to improve access to nutrition information and education must be improved and must place emphasis on exclusive breastfeeding, timely and appropriate complementary feeding, and dietary diversity.
Keywords: Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices, Stunting, Wasting, Children
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