Non-Adherence to WHO Recommendations Regarding Infant Feeding Practices Results in Dilemma of Malnourishment: A Community-Based Prospective Cohort Study Conducted in Karachi, Pakistan
| Autor: | Muhammad Osama, Sohaib Hasan Syed, Anosh Aslam Khan, Osama Mohiuddin, Ammar Hassan, Syeda Ramsha Zaidi, Neelofar Sami |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
infant feeding
breastfeeding Breastfeeding 030204 cardiovascular system & hematology Pediatrics 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Environmental health Medicine Prospective cohort study Socioeconomic status business.industry Incidence (epidemiology) General Engineering medicine.disease Infant mortality infant mortality Malnutrition nutrition who guidelines Epidemiology/Public Health malnourishment Preventive Medicine Stunted growth medicine.symptom Underweight business 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
| Zdroj: | Cureus |
| ISSN: | 2168-8184 |
| Popis: | Background The prevalence of chronic malnutrition and its associated morbid outcomes has been a significant cause of health loss globally, affecting millions of children hampering their mental, physical, social, and immune system development. World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations presenting infant feeding guidelines have largely controlled this burden. However, developing countries including Pakistan have failed to promote these guidelines and still succumb to a huge burden of morbidity and mortality secondary to malnourishment among infants. Methodology Our study is a prospective cohort including 300 infants without predisposing congenital anomaly, followed from 6 months to 18 months of age. The primary outcome involved was classifying patients as malnourished based on anthropometric measurements, assessing the prevalence of co-morbidities and comparison of results in compliance with WHO guidelines. Results A total of 276 infants were included and the rest were lost to follow-up. Stratification on socioeconomic status was done; 53% of infants were diagnosed as malnourished, either due to stunted growth, underweight, or both. The odds of development of malnourishment based on non-adherence to WHO guidelines on breastfeeding were 2.87 (p=0.001). The incidence of morbid complications was higher in the malnourished group, including gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections. Conclusion The implementation of WHO recommendations on infant feeding techniques can prove to be a pivotal instrument to control the soaring index of morbidities and mortalities associated with malnourishment. A strong focus on parental education and awareness among masses is required for its promulgation and controlling the infant health burden linked to this preventable condition. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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