Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Complementary foods are required to be given timeously, in adequate amounts, prepared safely and must be nutritious. Caregivers play a vital role in ensuring that the complementary feeding transition and beyond happens optimally to achieve normal growth and development in their children....

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Main Authors: CR Erasmus, T Pillay, M Siwela
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2023-01-01
Series:The South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16070658.2022.2033470
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author CR Erasmus
T Pillay
M Siwela
author_facet CR Erasmus
T Pillay
M Siwela
author_sort CR Erasmus
collection DOAJ
description Background: Complementary foods are required to be given timeously, in adequate amounts, prepared safely and must be nutritious. Caregivers play a vital role in ensuring that the complementary feeding transition and beyond happens optimally to achieve normal growth and development in their children. Objective: The aim was to explore what factors influenced the primary caregivers’ choices during the complementary feeding transition period. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted using focus-group discussions and interviews with caregivers of children enrolled in the Optimal Child Growth and Development (OrCHID) study, which included participants from the Mother and Child in Environment (MACE) cohort and SONKE mother and child cohort. Results: During the analysis of the focus-group discussions (FGDs) and interviews, nine themes were identified including: (i) starting complementary feeding; (ii) food choices; (iii) family meals; (iv) food preparation methods; (v) meal composition; (vi) texture; (vii) education source; (viii) food source; and (ix) nutrition knowledge. These themes and the key concepts associated with them were categorised into timing and transition, meal preparation, and knowledge and choices. Conclusion: The caregivers relied largely on advice from family members who advised on their customs and cultural belief systems, which then impacted when the caregivers started complementary foods, food choices, texture, meal composition and transition to family meals. The caregivers sourced complementary foods based on accessibility, convenience and affordability. The caregivers described having a responsive feeding style, where their decisions were influenced by their sensitivity to how their child was responding emotionally and/or physically to the foods they were receiving. Keywords: focus group discussion, complementary feeding practices, caregivers
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spelling doaj.art-2998a0d690194b2382369a75b0fff4512023-09-21T13:38:27ZengTaylor & Francis GroupThe South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition1607-06582221-12682023-01-013611710.1080/16070658.2022.20334702033470Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaCR Erasmus0T Pillay1M Siwela2University of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalBackground: Complementary foods are required to be given timeously, in adequate amounts, prepared safely and must be nutritious. Caregivers play a vital role in ensuring that the complementary feeding transition and beyond happens optimally to achieve normal growth and development in their children. Objective: The aim was to explore what factors influenced the primary caregivers’ choices during the complementary feeding transition period. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted using focus-group discussions and interviews with caregivers of children enrolled in the Optimal Child Growth and Development (OrCHID) study, which included participants from the Mother and Child in Environment (MACE) cohort and SONKE mother and child cohort. Results: During the analysis of the focus-group discussions (FGDs) and interviews, nine themes were identified including: (i) starting complementary feeding; (ii) food choices; (iii) family meals; (iv) food preparation methods; (v) meal composition; (vi) texture; (vii) education source; (viii) food source; and (ix) nutrition knowledge. These themes and the key concepts associated with them were categorised into timing and transition, meal preparation, and knowledge and choices. Conclusion: The caregivers relied largely on advice from family members who advised on their customs and cultural belief systems, which then impacted when the caregivers started complementary foods, food choices, texture, meal composition and transition to family meals. The caregivers sourced complementary foods based on accessibility, convenience and affordability. The caregivers described having a responsive feeding style, where their decisions were influenced by their sensitivity to how their child was responding emotionally and/or physically to the foods they were receiving. Keywords: focus group discussion, complementary feeding practices, caregivershttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16070658.2022.2033470
spellingShingle CR Erasmus
T Pillay
M Siwela
Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
The South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition
title Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
title_full Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
title_fullStr Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
title_short Factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
title_sort factors affecting the choices made by primary caregivers during the complementary feeding transition period kwazulu natal south africa
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16070658.2022.2033470
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AT tpillay factorsaffectingthechoicesmadebyprimarycaregiversduringthecomplementaryfeedingtransitionperiodkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT msiwela factorsaffectingthechoicesmadebyprimarycaregiversduringthecomplementaryfeedingtransitionperiodkwazulunatalsouthafrica