ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of bottle feed in severe acute malnutrition children under two years.
METHODOLOGY
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Nutrition Stabilization Centre, Paediatric Unit-3, Shaikh Zayed Children Hospital, Larkana, from February 2023 to December 2024. A total of 172 infants aged 0–24 months, diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, were included through non-probability purposive sampling. Children with chronic medical conditions contributing to malnutrition were excluded. Data on demographic characteristics, feeding practices, and socioeconomic factors were collected using a structured proforma. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, applying the Chi-square test, with a p-value ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
A total of 172 children with SAM were enrolled (mean age 12.7 ± 7.5 months); 38.4% were male and 61.6% female. Bottle feeding was reported in 33.7% of cases. Significant associations were observed with child’s younger age (p=0.003), higher maternal age (p=0.000), female gender (p=0.038), first birth order (p=0.008), parental illiteracy (p=0.000), and family income Rs. 21,000–50,000 (p=0.018).
CONCLUSION
Bottle feeding was prevalent among one-third of children under two years with SAM and showed significant associations with sociodemographic factors, including child age, maternal age, gender, birth order, parental education, and socioeconomic status. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted health education and counseling programs to discourage bottle feeding and promote safer, WHO-recommended feeding practices in vulnerable populations.
KEYWORDS
Bottle Feeding, Feeding Methods, Infants, Nutritional Support, Severe Acute Malnutrition