(P19-43-26) Responsive Mealtime Matters: Feeding Autonomy and Varied Settings Were Associated With Problem-Solving Skills of Ethiopian Children Aged 6-23 Months

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the association between responsive feeding (RF) practices and problem-solving (PS) skills in young children aged 6-23 months residing in Sidama Region, Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2024 among 401 randomly selected mother-child dyads in Hawassa Zuria district and Hawassa City Administration, Sidama Region, Ethiopia. Data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires with Kobo Toolbox. Responsive feeding (RF) practices were assessed using the locally translated and adapted fifteen-item RF Practices Assessment Tool (RFPAT), while child PS skills were evaluated using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 employing bivariate and logistic regression analyses; significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: The median (IQR) problem-solving skill development score was 30 (IQR: 20-60). Two out of five children were at risk for problem-solving development skills. The PS skills domain demonstrated a significant positive correlation with both language (r = 0.69, p < 0.001) and motor skills (r = 0.81, p < 0.001). Children living in a household with a larger family had 1.2 times higher odds of being on track in PS skills compared to those who were part of smaller families (AOR = 1.2, p < 0.05). Mothers who rarely fed their child in a place designated only for feeding had 2.6 times higher odds of the child being on track in PS skill development compared to those who always fed their child in a designated feeding place (AOR = 2.6, p < 0.05). Mothers who did not encourage feeding autonomy had 70% lower odds (AOR = 0.3, p < 0.05) of their child being on track in PS skills compared to those who strongly encouraged feeding autonomy.

Conclusions: Promoting feeding autonomy, household interaction and feeding a child in varied and stimulating environments may offer a strategic opportunity to enhance problem-solving skills of young children in Ethiopia.

Funding Sources: The research was funded by Hawassa University, by funds from Prof. Carlos Valiente’s professorship, by Nestlé Foundation for the Study of Problems of Nutrition in the World, and by the Norwegian University of Life (NMBU) Sciences.