BACKGROUND: Optimal nutrition throughout the first 1,000 days is critical for a child's development, but malnutrition remains a major issue in Ethiopia. The Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) is an important indication of nutritional quality in children aged 6-23 months, although its prevalence and determinants vary significantly across the country. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of MAD and its related characteristics in Southern Ethiopia's rural Gamo Zone, to guide targeted local interventions. METHODS: From July to September 2023, a community-based, cross-sectional study was undertaken in three rural areas with 1,479 mother-child (6-23 months) couples. Households were selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Data were gathered using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire on the KoboCollect app and analyzed with SPSS version 25. We employed bivariate and multivariable logistic regression to discover characteristics linked to MAD, with statistical significance established at p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Among children who had started complementary feeding, 41.1% (n = 595; 95% CI: 38.6, 43.7) received a MAD. Several factors were found in the multivariable analysis to be strongly connected with MAD achievement. These included the child's age (AOR = 1.52 for 12-17 months and AOR = 1.45 for 18-23 months), having a working father (AOR = 1.6), family food security (AOR = 2.11), mother postnatal care attendance (AOR = 2.16), and possessing a television or radio (AOR = 1.67). CONCLUSION: Less than half of the children in the study fulfilled the minimum requirement for an appropriate diet, indicating that optimal feeding practices were not followed. Interventions should prioritize strengthening postnatal care counseling, increasing household food security, and utilizing media channels for health education. Promoting father engagement and providing assistance to younger infants (6-11 months) is critical for enhancing child nutrition outcomes.
Fikadu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.