Knowledge and Practices on Complementary Feeding among Mothers of Children Aged 6-12 Months in Sissili Province, Burkina Faso

Agbokou, Koffi Apéali Wassiou; Ouédraogo, Ousmane; Dabo, Rasmata; Compaoré, Ella Wendinpuikondo Raketa; Ouédraogo, Donald; Ouattara, Adama; Bouraima, Mouawiyatou; Pietra, Virginio; Songré-Ouattara, Laurencia Toulsoumdé; Dicko, Mamoudou Hama

doi:10.30476/ijns.2025.103834.1342

Knowledge and Practices on Complementary Feeding among Mothers of Children Aged 6-12 Months in Sissili Province, Burkina Faso

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Koffi Apéali Wassiou Agbokou ¹

Ousmane Ouédraogo ¹

Rasmata Dabo ²

Ella Wendinpuikondo Raketa Compaoré ¹

Donald Ouédraogo ³

Adama Ouattara ⁴

Mouawiyatou Bouraima ⁵

Virginio Pietra ⁶

Laurencia Toulsoumdé Songré-Ouattara ²

Mamoudou Hama Dicko ¹

¹ Laboratoire de Biochimie, Biotechnologie, Technologie Alimentaire et Nutrition (LABIOTAN), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, UFR-SVT, 09 BP. 848, Ouagadougou 09. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

² Institut de Recherche en Sciences Appliquées et Technologies (IRSAT), Département Technologie Alimentaire (DTA), 03 BP 7047 Ouagadougou 03. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

³ Laboratoire de Biochimie et Immunologie Appliquée (LaBia), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, UFR-SVT, 03 BP 7021, Ouagadougou 03. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

⁴ District Sanitaire de Léo, Ministère de la Santé et de l’Hygiène Publique. Léo, Burkina Faso

⁵ Division de Nutrition, Ministère de la Santé et de l’Hygiène Publique. Lomé, Togo

⁶ Medicus Mundi Italie, 01 BP 783, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

10.30476/ijns.2025.103834.1342

Abstract

Background: For prevention of malnutrition of children older than 6 months, Léo Health District of Sissili province in Burkina Faso promoted best complementary feeding practices. So this study evaluated the knowledge and practices of mothers of children aged 6-12 months on complementary feeding in the district.
Methods: A cross-sectional study included 163 mothers of children aged 6-12 months aged 6-12 months and coupled at enrollment and after their participation for at least 5 sessions of consultation in relation to a
healthy infant.
Results: The proportions of mothers who knew the age of children when complementary foods were administered with a minimum frequency, from 6 to 8 months and 9 to 23 months showed an increase of 5.6%, 16.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Mothers’ knowledge level about the reasons to introduce complementary foods, the names of the three food groups and the ingredients to be added to cereal porridges to enrich them demonstrated a significant improvement. No significant difference was observed between the proportions of mothers with good complementary feeding practices even an increase was noticed. A correlation was visible between the level of knowledge and the complementary feeding practices too.
Conclusion: It seems that health services should emphasize the introduction of complementary foods to have a greater impact on optimal complementary feeding practices.

Keywords

Knowledge

Practice

Mother

Children

Complementary feeding