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Objective

Examine the feeding practices among children under 24 months in the State of Paraiba, Brazil.

Methods

A cross-sectional study conducted in 14 municipalities identified as the poorest of the state; 539 households composed of at least one child between the ages of 0 and 23.9 months were investigated. A 24-hour recall was conducted with the mothers regarding food consumed by their children. The analytic model took into account established recommendations for appropriate child feeding practices for three age groups: 0-5.9 months; 6-12 months; 12-24 months.

Results

Children between 0-5.9 months: there is a high percentage of weaning (20.7%) and low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (30.5 %); children from 6-11.9 months: 45.2% of children were still breastfeeding, but only 21.7% of children between 6 and 9.9 months showed a timely complementary feeding; children between 12-23.9 months: the prevalence of weaning was 64.2%. Feeding practices were characterized by high consumption of milk-based food and low consumption of food sources of iron.

Conclusion

Child feeding practices in the population studied were far from the recommendations for each stratum, indicating a risk for the food and nutritional security of this population.