Maternal feeding behavior and child acceptance of food during diarrhea, convalescence, and health in the central Sierra of Peru

Bibliographic Data

ID11040220
AuthorsMargaret E Bentley (0000-0002-1220-0208, Johns Hopkins University), R Y Stallings (Johns Hopkins University), Mary Fukumoto (Johns Hopkins University), J A Elder, John A Afdb Undp Elder (Johns Hopkins University)
Year1991
Volume81
Issue1
Pages43-47
Publication date1991-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.81.1.43
PMID1983915
OpenAlexW1975688667
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited11

Feeding patterns by mothers and child acceptance of food were measured in a Peruvian village to determine changes on days when children had diarrhea as compared to days of convalescence and health. Morbidity surveillance identified 40 children, aged 4-36 months, with diarrhea. Children were followed using twelve-hour in-home structured observations during two to four days each of diarrhea, convalescence, and health. Using scales of maternal encouragement to eat and child acceptance of food and cumulative logistic regression analyses, maternal encouragement to eat decreased significantly during convalescence compared to diarrheal days (OR: 0.54, 90% CI: 0.35, 0.82) and health compared to diarrhea (OR: 0.65, 90% CI: 0.46, 0.93). In contrast, child acceptance of food increased during health compared to diarrhea (OR: 1.55, 90% CI: 1.02, 2.35). Results illustrate the importance of carefully examining the behavioral aspects of nutritional intake. Decreases in intake during diarrhea are due to anorexia and not withdrawal of food by mothers. In response to reductions in child appetite during illness, mothers are more likely to encourage children to eat, while they tend to become more passive feeders after the diarrhea has stopped. Program efforts should focus on messages to feed children more actively especially after diarrhea episodes, when appetite levels increase

Anorexia · Convalescence · Diarrhea · Environmental health · Logistic regression · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Pediatrics

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