Suboptimal Complementary Feeding Practices And Associated Factors Among Mothers Of Children Aged 6 To 23 Months Bako Tibe District West Showa Oromia, Ethiopia, 2025

Abstract

Background: suboptimal complementary feeding practices in the first two years of life significantly contribute to malnutrition in children, negatively impacting their growth, health, and development. Objective: To assess the prevalence of suboptimal complementary feeding practices and associated factors among mothers of children aged 6-23 months in Bako Tibe District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Methods: community based A cross-sectional study was conducted among 468mothers with children aged 6-23 months in Bako Tibe District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopian, from April 30, 2025, to May 30, 2025, using a simple random sampling technique. Data is collected through structured questionnaires using Kobo Toolbox. Analyzed used to SPSS version 27 software. A p-value of less than 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval was used during multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify significance association of suboptimal complementary feeding practices. Results:The prevalence of suboptimal complementary feeding among mothers/caregiversofchildrenaged6–23months was79.5%(AOR95%CI,75.85,83.15) In multivariable logistic regression, factors were significantly associated with suboptimal complementary feeding practices: maternal educational (AOR 4.9; 95% CI: 2.6, 9.1), lack of antenatal care (AOR 6.83; 95% CI: 3.18, 14.6), maternal knowledge (AOR 3.3; 95% CI: 1.5, 7.2), birth interval (AOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 6.4), sex of the child (AOR 4.;95%CI:1.6,10.1), number of under five children (AOR7.1,95%CI:2.8,18.2),age of childs (AOR 9,95% CI:1.8,43.1),unplanned pregnancy (AOR 0.4;95%CI:0.190,0.801),occupation of mothers (AOR 0.13,95 CI;0.03,0.06), were considered as predictors of suboptimal complementary feeding practice. Conclusion and recommendation:- this study showed that 79.5% of children experienced Sub-optimal complementary feeding, Which was significantly associated with lack of attending antenatal visit, lack of formal education, Poor knowledge, child age, sex of child, Birth interval, Occupation of mother ,unplanned pregnancy, this findings indicate need for interventions that address sub-optimal complementary feeding practices such as strengthening antenatal care services, promoting maternal education, and enhancing community-based nutrition education programs to improve sub-optimal complementary feeding practices and ultimately support better child health and development outcome