Nita Bhandari|Sarmila Mazumder|Rajiv Bahl|José Martines|Robert E. Black|M. K. Bhan
Use of multiple opportunities for improving feeding practices in under-twos within child health programmes
All India Institute of Medical Sciences|All India Institute of Medical Sciences|All India Institute of Medical Sciences|World Health Organization - Pakistan|Johns Hopkins University|All India Institute of Medical Sciences
community randomized trial aimed promote exclusive breastfeeding appropriate complementary feeding practices undertwos ascertain feasibility using available channels nutrition counselling relative performance relationship intensity counselling behaviour change also assessed whether using multiple opportunities impart nutrition education adversely affected routine activitieswe conducted community randomized controlled effectiveness trial rural haryana india four intervention four control communities trained health nutrition workers intervention communities counsel mothers multiple contacts breastfeeding exclusively 6 months appropriate complementary feeding practices thereafter intervention training health nutrition workers counselling included community health worker mobilizationin intervention group 32 caregivers counselled traditional birth attendants birth frequent sources counselling birth 3 months immunization sessions 451 home visits 321 followed closely weighing sessions 255 7 12 months home visits 426 became important two increase number channels caregivers counselled positively associated exclusive breastfeeding prevalence 3 months p 0002 consumption milkcereal gruel mix use 9 months p 0004 18 months p 0003 undiluted milk 9 months p00001 24 hour nonbreastmilk energy intakes 18 months p 0023 controlling potential confounding factors intervention areas compared control higher coverage vitamin 45 vs 115 iron folic acid 45 vs 04 supplementationusing multiple available opportunities workers counselling caregivers feasible resulted high coverage impact instead disrupting ongoing services resulted improvement