Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey
Abstract Background Undernutrition among children is a public health concern in most low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is associated with poor child growth and development. Knowledge about child feeding practices is needed for nutritional policies and programs. Hence, this study assessed t...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-00996-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832594884841701376 |
|---|---|
| author | Essa Tawfiq Muhammad Haroon Stanikzai Massoma Jafari Ghulam Mohayuddin Mudaser Zainab Ezadi Sayed Ali Shah Alawi Abdul Wahed Wasiq Omid Dadras |
| author_facet | Essa Tawfiq Muhammad Haroon Stanikzai Massoma Jafari Ghulam Mohayuddin Mudaser Zainab Ezadi Sayed Ali Shah Alawi Abdul Wahed Wasiq Omid Dadras |
| author_sort | Essa Tawfiq |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Undernutrition among children is a public health concern in most low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is associated with poor child growth and development. Knowledge about child feeding practices is needed for nutritional policies and programs. Hence, this study assessed the status of minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and its associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on a secondary dataset of the 2022–2023 Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2022–23). Complete data from 7,876 children aged 6–23 months were analysed. The outcome variable was MAD and was defined according to the WHO and UNICEF recommendations and indicators for young child feeding practices. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with MAD. Results About 7.3% of children aged 6–23 months were fed with the recommended MAD. The likelihood of receiving MAD was higher in children aged 13–18 months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.01 (95%CI: 1.63–2.48)] and 19–23 months [2.11 (95%CI: 1.68–2.66)], in children belonging to households with higher wealth status [1.39 (95%CI: 1.04–1.87), 2.06 (95%CI: 1.51–2.82), and 3.07 (95%CI: 2.14–4.40) for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th quintile of wealth status, respectively], and in children living in rural areas [1.56 (95%CI: 1.21–2.01)]. On the other hand, the maternal age group 30–39 years [0.79 (95%CI: 0.64–0.96)] and non-institutional delivery [0.67 (95%CI: 0.54–0.83)] were associated with reduced odds of MAD. Conclusion Our study revealed that a small percentage (7.3%) of children received MAD in Afghanistan. This emphasizes the need for policies and interventions aimed at the improvement of child feeding practices to ultimately lead to better child nutrition and health in Afghanistan. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1c9723cab421486aa38662a691980b6e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2055-0928 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-1c9723cab421486aa38662a691980b6e2025-01-19T12:13:18ZengBMCBMC Nutrition2055-09282025-01-0111111010.1186/s40795-025-00996-5Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster SurveyEssa Tawfiq0Muhammad Haroon Stanikzai1Massoma Jafari2Ghulam Mohayuddin Mudaser3Zainab Ezadi4Sayed Ali Shah Alawi5Abdul Wahed Wasiq6Omid Dadras7The Kirby Institute, UNSW SydneyDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kandahar UniversityDepartment of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of TorontoDepartment of Para-Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Kandahar UniversityMaster of Science in Midwifery, Reproductive HealthUHI Project/JHPIEGODepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kandahar UniversityResearch Centre for Child Psychiatry, University of TurkuAbstract Background Undernutrition among children is a public health concern in most low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is associated with poor child growth and development. Knowledge about child feeding practices is needed for nutritional policies and programs. Hence, this study assessed the status of minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and its associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on a secondary dataset of the 2022–2023 Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2022–23). Complete data from 7,876 children aged 6–23 months were analysed. The outcome variable was MAD and was defined according to the WHO and UNICEF recommendations and indicators for young child feeding practices. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with MAD. Results About 7.3% of children aged 6–23 months were fed with the recommended MAD. The likelihood of receiving MAD was higher in children aged 13–18 months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.01 (95%CI: 1.63–2.48)] and 19–23 months [2.11 (95%CI: 1.68–2.66)], in children belonging to households with higher wealth status [1.39 (95%CI: 1.04–1.87), 2.06 (95%CI: 1.51–2.82), and 3.07 (95%CI: 2.14–4.40) for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th quintile of wealth status, respectively], and in children living in rural areas [1.56 (95%CI: 1.21–2.01)]. On the other hand, the maternal age group 30–39 years [0.79 (95%CI: 0.64–0.96)] and non-institutional delivery [0.67 (95%CI: 0.54–0.83)] were associated with reduced odds of MAD. Conclusion Our study revealed that a small percentage (7.3%) of children received MAD in Afghanistan. This emphasizes the need for policies and interventions aimed at the improvement of child feeding practices to ultimately lead to better child nutrition and health in Afghanistan.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-00996-5AfghanistanChild feeding practicesComplementary feedingMinimum acceptable dietMAD |
| spellingShingle | Essa Tawfiq Muhammad Haroon Stanikzai Massoma Jafari Ghulam Mohayuddin Mudaser Zainab Ezadi Sayed Ali Shah Alawi Abdul Wahed Wasiq Omid Dadras Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey BMC Nutrition Afghanistan Child feeding practices Complementary feeding Minimum acceptable diet MAD |
| title | Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey |
| title_full | Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey |
| title_fullStr | Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey |
| title_short | Minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6–23 months in Afghanistan: insights from the 2022–2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey |
| title_sort | minimum acceptable diet and contributing factors among children aged 6 23 months in afghanistan insights from the 2022 2023 multiple indicator cluster survey |
| topic | Afghanistan Child feeding practices Complementary feeding Minimum acceptable diet MAD |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-00996-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT essatawfiq minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT muhammadharoonstanikzai minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT massomajafari minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT ghulammohayuddinmudaser minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT zainabezadi minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT sayedalishahalawi minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT abdulwahedwasiq minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey AT omiddadras minimumacceptabledietandcontributingfactorsamongchildrenaged623monthsinafghanistaninsightsfromthe20222023multipleindicatorclustersurvey |