Determinants of infant growth in Eastern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study
2008

Infant Growth Patterns in Eastern Uganda

Sample size: 723 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Engebretsen Ingunn Marie Stadskleiv, Tylleskär Thorkild, Wamani Henry, Karamagi Charles, Tumwine James K

Primary Institution: Centre for International Health, University of Bergen

Hypothesis

The study aims to describe current infant growth patterns and their associations with feeding practices and socio-economic factors.

Conclusion

Sub-optimal infant feeding practices, poor household wealth, age, gender, and family size were associated with growth among Ugandan infants.

Supporting Evidence

  • The prevalences of wasting and stunting were 4.2% and 16.7%, respectively.
  • Stunting was more prevalent among boys than girls, 58.7% versus 41.3%.
  • Lowest household wealth was the most prominent factor associated with stunting.

Takeaway

This study looked at how babies in Eastern Uganda are growing and found that how they are fed and how much money their families have really matters for their health.

Methodology

A cross-sectional survey was conducted analyzing infant feeding practices, socio-economic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements.

Potential Biases

Recall bias may affect the accuracy of reported infant feeding practices.

Limitations

The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causal relationships, and there may be selection bias as only surviving participants were included.

Participant Demographics

The study included 723 mother-infant pairs from Mbale District, Eastern Uganda.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p < 0.001

Confidence Interval

95% CI 0.2–0.8

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-8-418

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