Abstract: Objective: To analyzed the role of maternal empowerment and macro-economic variables in the improvement of child health in developing economies.

Methodology: Maternal empowerment has measured through five dimensions: work status, awareness, decision making, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Moreover, countries' net foods imports, countries as secular or non-secular and region are selected as macro-economic factors. On the other hand, child health has analysed through the anthropometric measure, i.e. stunting. The most recent data sets of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 38 countries have been used. Data has been analyzed through the use of binary logistic regression and explore the impact of maternal empowerment and macro-economic factors on child health.

Results: The results explain the positive impact of mother empowerment in the improvement of child health. Furthermore, net food imports are positively effecting the child's health. Sub-Saharan Africa and Secular states proved to have negative impacts on child health. Most probably the more empowered mothers are more contributors and implement positive effects on their children’s health.

Conclusion: The countries which can fill their food deficiencies through food imports have the probability of improved health for the next generation.

Keywords:  Child Health, DHS, Binary Logistic, BMI, Net food Imports, Secular States.

Abstract: Background: We previously validated a four-day complementary food frequency questionnaire (CFFQ) to estimate the nutrient intake in New Zealand infants aged 9-12 months. However, manual entry of the CFFQ data into nutritional analysis software was time-consuming. Therefore, we developed an automated algorithm and evaluated its accuracy by comparing the nutrient estimates with those obtained from the nutritional analysis software.

Methods: We analysed 50 CFFQ completed at 9- and 12-months using Food Works nutritional analysis software. The automated algorithm was programmed in SAS by multiplying the average daily consumption of each food item by the nutrient content of the portion size. We considered the most common brands for commercially prepared baby foods. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients were compared between methods using Bland-Altman analysis.

Results: The automated algorithm did not have any significant bias for estimates of energy (kJ) (MD 15, 95% CI -27, 58), carbohydrate (g) (MD -0.1, 95% CI -1.2,1.0), and fat (g) (-0.1, 95% CI -0.3,0.1), but slightly underestimated intake of protein (MD -0.4 g, 95% CI -0.7,-0.1), saturated fat, PUFA, dietary fibre, and niacin. The algorithm provided accurate estimates for other micronutrients. The limits of agreement were relatively narrow.

Conclusion: This automated algorithm is an efficient tool to estimate the nutrient intakes from CFFQ accurately. The small negative bias observed for few nutrients was clinically insignificant and can be minimised. This algorithm is suitable to use in large clinical trials and cohort studies without the need for proprietary software.

Keywords:  Infant and child nutrition, dietary intake assessment, food frequency questionnaire, infant feeding, complementary feeding.

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Abstract: Background: Severe acute malnutrition remains one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Knowing the local burden of SAM has huge importance for public health interventions. Therefore this study aimed to assess the level of severe acute malnutrition and feeding practice of children aged 6–59 months in Abaa’la district, Afar, Northeast, Ethiopia.

Methods: Community-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 mother-child pairs of children aged 6–59 months. Kebeles were selected randomly after stratifying the district in to urban and rural, and study participants were selected using a cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and child nutritional status was measured using WHO Mid upper arm circumference measuring tape. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. The result was presented using Descriptive statistics.

Results: The prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) was found to be 4.3% (95% CI, 2.3-6.1%) and that of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) was 21.1 %. Almost all (98.8%) of children were ever breastfed. Prelacteal feeding and bottle feeding was practiced by 31% and 33.9% of children, respectively. Only 68.5% of children were feed colostrum. Around 45.5% of children were exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and 70.4% of children wean breastfeeding before the age of two years.

Conclusion: The prevalence of severe acute malnutrition in the study area was lower than the regional figures, but still, it is a public health priority. There are improper child care and feeding practices. Therefore, public health interventions that can improve those practices should be strengthened.

Keywords:  Severe acute malnutrition, Abaa’la, Afar, Ethiopia, Children aged 6-59 Months.

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Abstract: Introduction: Parents have a significant impact on child nutrition and the child's eating habits in long-term behavior. This study aims to examine the effects of mothers' attitudes on the eating behaviors of children and the determination of their nutritional status.

Method: Children's eating habits and mothers' eating attitudes were examined in 417 children with face-to-face interviews using the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ). The participants' anthropometric characteristics were determined, and body mass indexes (kg/m2) were calculated. AnthroPlus software was used to determine the children’s BMI-for-age Z-scores. BeBiS nutrition information system was used to assess children’s food intake.

Results: The mothers' median BMI was above the overweight threshold. The lowest CFQ score was for perceived child weight, and the maximum score was for food restriction. Significant differences were found in mothers ages, mothers' BMIs, children's WAZ and BAZ scores, and BMIs, weight (p<0.001), perceived parent weight scores (p=0.04), and pressure to eat (p=0.04). Families should be conscious about nutrition for the protection and promotion of children's health.

Keywords:  Eating behavior, children, mother, anthropometry, nutritional status.

Abstract: Appropriate feeding practices are fundamental importance for the survival, growth, development and health of the infant and young children. However; exclusive breastfeeding remains a challenge because of many factors. It was suggested that mother's knowledge, attitude and practice determines the effectiveness of exclusive breastfeeding. This research is a cross-sectional study aimed to assesses mother's knowledge, attitude and practice towards optimal breastfeeding among Ginjo Guduru kebele. The survey was conducted from June 29-July30, 2018, from a total of 315 mothers who had children under one (1) year age, 190 mothers were selected using simple random sampling. Structured pre-tested questionnaires, as well as the in-depth interview, was used to collect the data on the socio-economic, demographic characteristics, knowledge attitude and practice towards exclusive breastfeeding. Among mothers studied about 73.94% had good knowledge of effective breastfeeding, 63.99% of mothers had a positive attitude on effective breastfeeding, and 69.69% had a good practice of effective breastfeeding. About 24.06% of mothers had poor knowledge of effective breastfeeding, approximately 36.11% of mothers had a poor level of attitude on effective breastfeeding, and about 31.31% of mothers had a poor practice of effective breastfeeding. Health service delivery staffs Policymakers, administrators and Non-governmental organisation collaborates to draw strategies to enhance the awareness of mothers about effective breastfeeding.

Keywords:  Mother, breastfeeding, attitude, knowledge.