Effectiveness of Behavior Change Communication in Improving Feeding Practices, Nutritional and Health Status of Infants

Child under nutrition is a major risk factor for ill health and mortality, contributes substantially to the burden of disease in low-income and middle-income countries and is associated with close to half of all child deaths. The prevalence of both underweight and stunting is highest in Africa and South-Central Asia. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in Sub- Saharan Africa, and child malnutrition is a serious public health problem where the rates for stunting (40%), underweight (25%) and wasting (9%) among children under 5 years are among the highest in the world. Globally, about 40% of child mortality less than two years is associated with inappropriate feeding practices. Optimal breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding could prevent 13% and 6% under-five mortality, respectively. Over two third of malnutrition is associated with inappropriate feeding practices during the first year of life. The first two years of life provides a critical window of opportunity for ensuring appropriate growth and development of children from generation to generation through optimal feeding. Hence, the objective of this study to evaluate the effectiveness of behavior change communication on optimal complementary feeding through community level actors in improving feeding practice, health and nutritional status of infants. A cluster-randomized controlled trial which was conducted in West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia from May 9, 2016 to October, 2017. Behavior change communication on complementary feeding was conducted in the intervention kebeles/villages for 8 months. A validated interviewer administered structured questionnaire was used for collecting information on the study subjects both at the baseline and after intervention. Data will be checked, coded and double entered using EPI info and exported to SPSS version 21 for statistical analysis. The output of the study findings could be useful for health and nutrition policy makers and other concerned bodies