JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND SURGICAL RESEARCH - Vol. III, n 3 , February, 2017

Pages: 297-312
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Evaluation of the Infant and Young Child Feeding Index Among Moroccan Children

Author: Mouna Habibi, Fatima Zahra Laamiri, Hassan Aguenaou, Loubna Doukkali, Mustapha Mrabet, Amina Barkat

Category: JMSR Pediatrics

Abstract:

Background. Several investigations worldwide have scrutinized the ability of the infant and young child feeding index (ICFI) in evaluating the child-feeding practices and their correlation with children's nutritional status.

Methods. Grounded in the feeding index concept, as laid out by Ruel and Menon in 2002, a cross-sectional ICFI was set-up and the variables were rated in 297 aged 6-24-mo-old Moroccan children from Casablanca. The relation between ICFI and weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ), length-for-age Z-scores (LAZ) and weight-for-length Z-scores (WLZ) was assessed with use of anthropometric data. The data obtained were analyzed using a nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis H test, post hoc Mann-Whitney U-test, and Bonferroni correction.

Results. In our survey, a significant interaction was observed between LAZ and the total ICFI (p less than 0.001) in virtually all age groups. Whereas, a link has been objectified between WLZ and ICFI only for children aged 6-8 months (p less than 0.001), and further, WAZ and ICFI considering the 9- to 11-mo-old as well as the 12- to 24-mo-old age groups.

Conclusions. These findings are in line with previous observations by Ruel and Menon and numerous surveys documented in evidence-based literature that supported the positive contribution of child feeding practices on child growth by using ICFI.