A behaviour change intervention with lipid‐based nutrient supplements had little impact on young child feeding indicators in rural Kenya

• DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12660
• Publication Date: 2018-09-12T10:47:25Z
• Authors: Kendra Byrd; Holly N. Dentz; Anne Williams; Marion Kiprotich; Amy J. Pickering; Ronald Omondi; Osborne Kwena; Gouthami Rao; Charles D. Arnold; Benjamin F. Arnold; Kathryn G. Dewey; John M. Colford; Clair Null; Christine P. Stewart
• Keywords: Behavior change communication

Abstract Poor infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are associated with linear growth faltering. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of a nutrition water sanitation for health intervention on three IYCF indicators—minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), acceptable diet (MAD) in Kenyan children. Households were randomized into one eight groups: (a) active control; (b) passive (c) quality (W); (d) (S); (e) handwashing (H); (f) combined Water, Sanitation, Handwashing; (g) (N); (h) WSH + N. In N arms, community‐based promoters counselled households optimal practices, small‐quantity lipid‐based nutrient supplements (SQ‐LNS) provided children 6–24 months age. Twelve (Year 1) 24 2) after interventions began, enumerators surveyed mothers ascertain practices. We made pairwise comparisons each arm versus control using log binomial models. total, 3,652 caretakers at Year 1 4,987 2. Compared control, there no differences any arms MDD, MMF, or MAD, aside from an increase MDD only but not (N: 68%; N: 61%; C: prevalence ratio: 1.13 95% CI [1.01, 1.25]). this setting, behaviour change communication had little indicators. The provision SQ‐LNS detrimental current indicators community.