Proportion of children aged 12-24 months receiving age appropriate Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) and their associated factors - A hospital based cross sectional study

This hospital-based cross-sectional study is designed to assess complementary feeding practices among children aged 12–24 months attending the Paediatric Outpatient Department of KIMSHEALTH, Trivandrum. The study aims to determine the proportion of children receiving an age-appropriate Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) based on World Health Organization Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators.

Information on feeding practices, including minimum meal frequency, dietary diversity, breastfeeding practices, and consumption of unhealthy foods, will be collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews with mothers or primary caregivers. Dietary intake will be assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall method. Anthropometric measurements, including weight and length, will be obtained and interpreted using WHO growth standards to assess the nutritional status of the children.

The study also seeks to identify factors associated with the achievement of Minimum Acceptable Diet, assess the practice of sharing family foods at one year of age, and explore the relationship between feeding practices and nutritional status. The findings of this study are expected to provide locally relevant evidence to inform counselling strategies and improve complementary feeding practices during routine paediatric healthcare visits.