Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya

Agricultural strategies such as dairy intensification have potential to improve human nutrition through increased household food security. Increasing dairy productivity could also adversely affect infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices because of increased maternal stress, demands on matern...

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Main Authors: Wyatt, Amanda, Yount, Kathryn M., Null, Clair, Ramakrishnan, Usha, Girard, Aimee Webb
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151298
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author Wyatt, Amanda
Yount, Kathryn M.
Null, Clair
Ramakrishnan, Usha
Girard, Aimee Webb
author_browse Girard, Aimee Webb
Null, Clair
Ramakrishnan, Usha
Wyatt, Amanda
Yount, Kathryn M.
author_facet Wyatt, Amanda
Yount, Kathryn M.
Null, Clair
Ramakrishnan, Usha
Girard, Aimee Webb
author_sort Wyatt, Amanda
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Agricultural strategies such as dairy intensification have potential to improve human nutrition through increased household food security. Increasing dairy productivity could also adversely affect infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices because of increased maternal stress, demands on maternal time, and beliefs about the timing and appropriate types of complementary foods. Yet, few studies have looked rigorously at how interventions can affect young children (0–60 months). The study explores, within the context of rural dairy farming in Kenya, the relationship between level of household dairy production and selected IYCF practices using a mixed‐methods approach. Six focus group discussions with women involved in dairy farming investigated their attitudes towards breastfeeding, introduction of complementary foods and child diets. Ninety‐two households involved in three levels of dairy production with at least one child 0–60 months participated in a household survey. Quantitative results indicated that women from higher dairy producing households were more likely to introduce cow's milk to infants before they reached 6 months than women from households not producing any dairy. Themes from the focus group discussions demonstrated that women were familiar with exclusive breastfeeding recommendations, but indicated a preference for mixed feeding of infants. Evidence from this study can inform nutrition education programmes targeted to farmers participating in dairy interventions in rural, low‐income settings to minimise potential harm to the nutritional status of children.
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spelling CGSpace1512982025-04-07T19:39:16Z Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya Wyatt, Amanda Yount, Kathryn M. Null, Clair Ramakrishnan, Usha Girard, Aimee Webb gender child nutrition complementary foods infant feeding developing countries breastfeeding women Agricultural strategies such as dairy intensification have potential to improve human nutrition through increased household food security. Increasing dairy productivity could also adversely affect infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices because of increased maternal stress, demands on maternal time, and beliefs about the timing and appropriate types of complementary foods. Yet, few studies have looked rigorously at how interventions can affect young children (0–60 months). The study explores, within the context of rural dairy farming in Kenya, the relationship between level of household dairy production and selected IYCF practices using a mixed‐methods approach. Six focus group discussions with women involved in dairy farming investigated their attitudes towards breastfeeding, introduction of complementary foods and child diets. Ninety‐two households involved in three levels of dairy production with at least one child 0–60 months participated in a household survey. Quantitative results indicated that women from higher dairy producing households were more likely to introduce cow's milk to infants before they reached 6 months than women from households not producing any dairy. Themes from the focus group discussions demonstrated that women were familiar with exclusive breastfeeding recommendations, but indicated a preference for mixed feeding of infants. Evidence from this study can inform nutrition education programmes targeted to farmers participating in dairy interventions in rural, low‐income settings to minimise potential harm to the nutritional status of children. 2015-01-01 2024-08-01T02:56:30Z 2024-08-01T02:56:30Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151298 en Limited Access Wiley Wyatt, Amanda J.; Yount, Kathryn M.; Null, Clair; Ramakrishnan, Usha; and Girard, Aimee Webb. 2015. Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya. Maternal and Child Nutrition 11(1): 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12074
spellingShingle gender
child nutrition
complementary foods
infant feeding
developing countries
breastfeeding
women
Wyatt, Amanda
Yount, Kathryn M.
Null, Clair
Ramakrishnan, Usha
Girard, Aimee Webb
Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title_full Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title_fullStr Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title_short Dairy intensification, mothers and children: An exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in Kenya
title_sort dairy intensification mothers and children an exploration of infant and young child feeding practices among rural dairy farmers in kenya
topic gender
child nutrition
complementary foods
infant feeding
developing countries
breastfeeding
women
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151298
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