Availability, access and feeding practices associated with malnutrition in children under 24 months in Mozambique^*

Objective: to analyze the association between malnutrition and the availability, access and feeding practices of children under 24 months in Mouha, Mozambique.

Method: observational, cross-sectional, analytical study with a sample of 284 children under 24 months of age whose heads of household and mothers or those responsible for feeding the child answered structured forms at home. Multinomial log-linear models were used to verify the association of predictor variables with anthropometric indicators of malnutrition.

Results: it was observed that less than one third of the children were free from malnutrition. Only 23% of the children had adequate nutrition that met all the criteria for their age group, which was negatively associated with severe acute and chronic malnutrition; 67% of the children were exclusively breastfed, and the prevalence of continued breastfeeding occurred between 88% and 95%. The existence of food reserves was a protective factor against chronic malnutrition at all degrees, confirmed by the practice of agriculture and the diversity of animals raised. The feeding problem was associated with acute and chronic malnutrition in children over one year old.

Conclusion: malnutrition in children under 24 months old is associated with dietary adequacy, availability of food for consumption and access to it.

Descriptors:
Child Nutrition; Malnutrition; Breast Feeding; Food Security; Food Production; Eating Practices

Highlights:

(1) Households are predominantly made up of farmers. (2) Malnutrition is the result of inadequate feeding practices. (3) Children over one year old were less protected from malnutrition. (4) Less than a third of children were free from malnutrition.