Adoption of Enriched Local Complementary Food in Osun State: Combating Micronutrient Deficiency in the First Two Years of Life

Abstract

Locally processed complementary foods, appropriately enriched can complement breast milk and traditional foods during the nutritionally vulnerable periods of a child life. The study therefore examines the adoption of enriched local complementary foods in Osun State Nigeria. Structured interview schedule was used to collect information from 384 women about new home made complementary foods introduced to them during ante and post natal clinic. Awareness, adoption and discontinuity of the foods were also determined. Results revealed that majority of the women (44.3%) were between 30-39years of age and have attended secondary school (45%). Of the foods introduced in the urban center mothers were aware of “eko ilera” (12.8%), groundnut milk (11.1%), soya milk (23.5%), mashed potato and milk (11.1%), pap and banana (12.8%), cowpea milk (7.6%) and tom brown (6.4%). Their rural counterparts were only aware of food such as “eko ilera”, soya milk and pap and banana with low percentage which are 1.3%, 6% and 2% respectively. The adoption for “eko ilera” was (86.7%), pap and banana (93.3%), cowpea milk 88.8% and tom brown (86.6%) for the urban women, while their rural counterparts recorded 100% for eko ilera, 55.5% for soya milk and 66.6% for pap and banana. It is concluded that for sustainability, interventions must be continued for longer periods of time to reach late adopters and it is recommended that improved child feeding practices will be promoted at the community level.

Key words: complementary foods, micronutrient, adoption