Feeding Practices and Anthropometric Deficits Among Infants Attending Outpatient Services at an Urban Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Improper infant feeding practices remain prevalent in developing countries, despite the existence of established guidelines. Gaining insights into these practices and their regional variations is essential for strengthening public health interventions. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 91 mother-infant pairs attending the outpatient services of an urban tertiary care hospital. Data were collected through interviews using a predesigned questionnaire. Feeding practices were assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall, and minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) were documented. Statistical analysis included the chi-square test and unpaired t-test. ORs with 95% CIs were calculated, and binary logistic regression models were developed for wasting, stunting, and underweight as dependent variables. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0 (Released 2022; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The majority (88%) of mothers belonged to middle- or upper-income groups, and over half (57%) were graduates. Exclusive breastfeeding was reported in 59 (64.8%) cases, and complementary feeding was introduced at six months in 64 (70.3%) infants. However, solid foods were introduced between seven and 12 months in only 31 (34.1%) infants. Continued breastfeeding was observed in 19 (51.35%) infants aged six to eight months but declined to 13 (24%) among those aged nine to 12 months. MMF was adequate in only seven (16.21%) infants aged six to eight months and in 26 (44.44%) infants aged nine to 12 months. An MDD score above 4 was achieved in 52 (57.14%) infants. The prevalence of anthropometric deficits was as follows: underweight in 29 (31.87%), stunting in 24 (26.37%), and wasting in 11 (12.09%). Birth weight showed a significant association with all three anthropometric deficits (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified age (six to eight months) and a dietary diversity score below 5 as significant factors for underweight, while only age remained significant for stunting. Conclusions Infant feeding practices were suboptimal despite the relatively favorable socioeconomic and educational status of the mothers, highlighting gaps in the implementation of infant and young child feeding guidelines. Continuous support from healthcare workers is essential to guide mothers and caregivers on appropriate infant nutrition and feeding practices.