Poor Adherence to the WHO Guidelines on Feeding Practices Increases the Risk for Respiratory Infections in Surinamese Preschool Children

Jill R. Wormer, Arti Shankar, Michael Boele Van Hensbroek, Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo, Hannah Covert, Maureen Y. Lichtveld and Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans
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Jill R. Wormer: Department of Pediatrics, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital (ETZ), 5022 GC Tilburg, The Netherlands
Arti Shankar: Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Michael Boele Van Hensbroek: Amsterdam Centre for Global Child Health, Emma Children’s Hospital and Department of Global Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo: Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname
Hannah Covert: Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Maureen Y. Lichtveld: Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans: Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: Poor feeding practices in infants and young children may lead to malnutrition, which, in turn, is associated with an increased risk of infectious diseases, such as respiratory tract infections (RTIs), a leading cause of under-five mortality. We explored the association between RTIs and the WHO infant and young child feeding (IYCF) indicators: minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD), among infants and preschool children in Suriname. A validated pediatric food frequency questionnaire was used and data on RTIs, defined as clinical care for fever with respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, or pneumonia were obtained. Associations between feeding indicators and RTIs were explored using hierarchical logistic regression. Of 763 children aged 10–33 months, 51.7% achieved the MDD, 88.5% the MMF, and 46.5% the MAD. Furthermore, 73% of all children experienced at least one upper and/or lower RTI. Children meeting the MDD and MAD had significantly lower odds on RTIs (OR 0.53; 95%CI: 0.37–0.74, p < 0.001; OR 0.55; 95%CI: 0.39–0.78, p < 0.001, respectively). The covariates parity and household income were independently associated with RTIs. In conclusion, MDD and MAD were associated with (upper) RTIs. Whether these indicators can be used as predictors for increased risk for RTIs should be assessed in future prospective studies.

Keywords: respiratory tract infections; WHO infant and young child feeding indicators; Suriname (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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