Uptake of minimum acceptable diet among children aged 6–23 months in orthodox religion followers during fasting season in rural area, DEMBECHA, north West Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Under-nutrition is the cause for poor physical and mental development and has more burden among infants and young children aged between 6 and 23 months. Cultural practices like not providing animal source foods for infants and young child aged between 6 and 23 months were barrier for practicing proper children feeding. The aim of this study was to assess minimum acceptable diet and associated factors among children aged between 6 and 23 months in Orthodox religion during fasting season in rural area, Dembecha, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess Minimum Acceptable diet.Random sampling technique was applied to select 506 study participants. Interview was used to collect data on Practice of minimum acceptable diet, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and related factors among children aged between 6 and 23 months from mothers / caregivers. RESULT: About 8.6% of infants and young children aged between 6 and 23 months received minimum acceptable diet. Education status of mother(AOR = 0.22,95%CI:0.1, 0.48), involvement of mother in decision making (AOR = 0.22,95%CI:0.10,0.48), birth order of index children (AOR = 0.36,95%CI:0.14,0. 94), knowledge on feeding frequency (AOR = 0.3,95% CI:0.16,0.58), and institutional delivery (AOR = 5.13, 95%CI: 1.26, 20.80) were significantly associated with minimum acceptable diet. CONCLUSION: Minimum acceptable diet practice was low. Educational status of mother, involvement of mother in decision making, knowledge on feeding frequency and institutional delivery were significantly associated with minimum acceptable diet. This indicates that nutrition education and counseling related to infant and young child feeding practice is not addressed for all mothers. Strengthening mothers' education on acceptable child feed practice, and working with religion leaders to increase knowledge of mothers on child feed practice are recommended.