Background: Optimal infant nutrition depends on smooth transition to appropriate complementary feeding. Although the advantages of these practices are well documented, it is unclear how effectively caregivers implement this knowledge in everyday situations. Objectives: This study assessed the impact of complementary feeding education program on caregiver knowledge and practices in Polokwane Municipality. Methods: A quasi-experimental study in Polokwane evaluated a complementary feeding program’s impact on caregiver knowledge and practices. It enrolled 189 caregiver–infant pairs, with 148 remaining after the intervention. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention using a validated questionnaire. Feeding practices were analyzed using descriptive analysis, while chi-square and Spearman correlations tests were applied to assess changes and relationships. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: At baseline, the control group had a higher mean knowledge score (29.70) than the intervention group (25.10). After the intervention, the control group’s score remained stable (25.0), while the intervention group’s knowledge significantly improved to 38.10. The program positively influenced feeding practices as follows: 62.3% of intervention caregivers introduced foods other than breast milk compared to 70.4% in controls, and 70% provided thick foods before breastfeeding versus 56.3% in controls. Significant differences were found in feeding consistency and methods (p < 0.05). Early introduction of solids was common in both groups (79% intervention, 75% control), and by one year, bottle feeding was reported by 56% of intervention caregivers and 70% of controls. Post-intervention, only 22.5% of the intervention group used commercial food products, compared to 75% of controls. Correlations between feeding knowledge and practices were weak at baseline (r = 0.101) and weakened further after the intervention (r = 0.021). Conclusions: The intervention program effectively enhanced caregiver knowledge and feeding practices, resulting in improved feeding consistency and increased use of homemade foods. Despite these gains, challenges like early introduction of complementary foods and continued bottle feeding remain. Continued education and support are crucial to strengthening proper complementary feeding practices.
Author Contributions
M.S.M. was responsible for conceptualization, methodology, data collection, analysis, and original draft preparation. L.F.M. and L.M. validated the tool, supervised, visualized, administered the project, and wrote, reviewed, and edited. M.S.M. handled the manuscript’s statistical analysis, correspondence, and technical aspects. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received funding from Grow Great.
Institutional Review Board Statement
The Human and Clinical Trials Research Ethics Committee (HCTREC) of The University of Venda approved the study. Clearance certificate number FHS/22/NUT/12/2111, 22 November 2022. The study was conducted following the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of the University of Venda.
Informed Consent Statement
Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Caregivers consented to be acknowledged in this publication.
Data Availability Statement
This article is based on data collected from caregivers of infants 3 to 12 months of age from two tribal authorities within the Polokwane municipality, Limpopo province of South Africa. The data generated or analyzed during the current study is not openly accessible. However, it can be requested from the corresponding author.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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