Peer-reviewed article
Infant and young child feeding practices and anthropometric outcomes among children under 2 years in the Northern Emirates of the UAE: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Patni MA, Almarzooqi MSHR, Alhussein FAA, Almansoori MMSM, Mohamed NS et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined infant and young child feeding practices and their association with child growth among 381 mother-child pairs in the Northern Emirates of the UAE. Although mothers showed high knowledge of recommended breastfeeding practices, significant gaps existed between knowledge and actual practice, particularly in exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Early breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and higher maternal knowledge were associated with better child weight outcomes, while exclusive breastfeeding was associated with better length-for-age z-scores.
Key points
- 74.5% of mothers correctly initiated breastfeeding early, but only 54.8% achieved exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months
- Among children aged 6-23 months, only 38.8% achieved a minimum acceptable diet, 47.2% had minimum dietary diversity, and 53.6% had minimum meal frequency
- Early breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and higher maternal knowledge scores were positively associated with weight-for-age z-scores
- Exclusive breastfeeding was positively associated with length-for-age z-scores
- Significant differences in knowledge and practices were observed between local and expatriate mothers
Limitations
As a cross-sectional study, the observed associations between feeding practices and anthropometric outcomes cannot establish causality. The study was limited to two emirates and used convenience sampling from community and pediatric settings, which may not be representative of the broader UAE population.
Abstract
Background Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are important determinants of early childhood growth and development. Although breastfeeding and complementary feeding recommendations are well established, gaps often remain between maternal knowledge and actual feeding practices. Local evidence from the Northern Emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is limited, particularly regarding differences between local and expatriate mothers and the relationship between IYCF practices and child anthropometric outcomes. This study assessed maternal knowledge and practices related to IYCF and examined their association with weight-for-age (WAZ) and length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) among children under 2 years in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, UAE. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 mother-child pairs with children aged up to 24 months. Participants were recruited from community settings and pediatric outpatient areas. Data were collected using a structured English and Arabic questionnaire, and child anthropometric measurements were recorded. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent-samples t-tests, and regression analysis were used. Results The mean maternal age was 29.14 ± 6.53 years, and the mean child age was 15.04 ± 7.22 months. Knowledge was generally high for early initiation of breastfeeding, colostrum feeding, and exclusive breastfeeding, but significant differences between local and expatriate mothers were observed for selected knowledge indicators. Correct early initiation of breastfeeding was reported by 284 mothers (74.5%), while exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months was reported by 189 of 345 eligible mothers (54.8%). Among eligible children aged 6-23 months, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, and minimum acceptable diet were achieved by 163 (47.2%), 185 (53.6%), and 134 (38.8%) children, respectively. In adjusted linear regression, early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and higher maternal knowledge score were positively associated with WAZ, while number of children was negatively associated with WAZ. Exclusive breastfeeding was positively associated with LAZ, whereas male sex was negatively associated with LAZ. Conclusion Maternal knowledge of recommended IYCF practices was generally favorable, but important gaps remained in actual feeding practices, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, avoidance of pre-lacteal feeding, continued breastfeeding, and minimum acceptable diet. As this was a cross-sectional study, the observed relationships between IYCF practices and anthropometric outcomes should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. Strengthening culturally appropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding counseling may help improve recommended IYCF practices in the Northern Emirates of the UAE.