Assessment of infant and young child feeding practices among mothers of Paniya tribal children aged 0-23 months in Gudalur Block, Nilgiris District

Optimal infant and young child feeding practices (IYCFPs), despite being emphasized since 2003, are yet to be met in India. This study assessed these practices and their association with various factors among mothers of children aged 0-23 months in Paniya tribes in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. About 89.1% of the infants below six months were timely breastfed and 77.9% of them were exclusively breastfed, respectively. Complementary food was introduced to 25% of infants aged six to eight months. About 27.8% of them received a diverse diet. About 91.7% of them were fed egg and/or flesh food and 37% of them were fed vegetables and fruits. Illiterate mothers and mothers who had a vaginal delivery fed the infant optimally. The adherence to these practices was found to decrease gradually with an increase in the infant's age. The prevalence of IYCFP is higher in the study population compared to the corresponding indicators for the district according to the National Family Health Survey-5.