Anaemia, Nutrition, and Caregiver Feeding Practices Among Infants Aged 6 to 8 Months in Maputo City, Mozambique (2024).

Background/

Objectives

Anaemia and malnutrition remain global public health challenges, particularly affecting low-income countries such as Mozambique, especially during the complementary feeding period. This study aimed to assess caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding infant feeding and to explore associations with anaemia and nutritional status among infants aged 6 to 8 months in urban Maputo.

Methods

A cross-sectional baseline survey was conducted in 2024 in two primary health centres. A total of 496 caregiver-child pairs participated. Children underwent anthropometric measurements and haemoglobin testing, and caregivers completed a structured KAP questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were generated, and chi-square tests were used to examine associations between KAP domains and child health outcomes.

Results

Anaemia was detected in 77.0% of children, with moderate anaemia being most common (48.6%). Eutrophic nutritional status was observed in 73.1% of children, 7.0% had acute malnutrition, and 14.1% were overweight. While 97.3% of caregivers demonstrated positive attitudes, only 52.1% had adequate knowledge and practices. Adequate knowledge was significantly associated with both the absence of anaemia (p = 0.001) and eutrophic status (p = 0.001). No significant associations were found for attitudes or practices. Caregiver practices were significantly associated with household income, and anaemia was more frequent among children from low-income households.

Conclusions

Anaemia was highly frequent among 6-8-month-old infants, even among those with normal weight-for-length and knowledgeable caregivers. This paradox highlights the need for early, integrated interventions, such as nutrition education and home fortification with micronutrient powders, and supports the WHO's recommendation to revisit haemoglobin thresholds in some contexts.