Child feeding practices in rural Malawi: implications for nutrition education

ABSTRACT

In a district with a very high infant mortality rate (222 per 1000 live births); 100 rural householders were interviewed about child feeding practices. Infrequent meals and lack of supervision were common. Weaning porridge (phala) was given before 3 months of age to 56 percent on infants. Fifty-eight percent of children received protein foods 3 or more times per week. Knowledge about good feeding practices was poor and only half of all mothers recognized kwashiorkor and marasmus as being due to lack of food. Studies such as this can be used to develop appropriate nutrition education messages