A Mixed Methods Research Study To Understand Infant Feeding Practices And Inform Strategies To Improve Maternal Infant And Child Nutrition In Guinea A Biocultural Perspective

The prevalence of stunting (30%) and wasting (9%) among children under the age of five years (U5) in Guinea have seen little decline in the past decade. One contributor to the high prevalence of stunting and wasting among children U5 is poor diet quality. In 2018, less than half of children 6 -- 23 months consumed the recommended food groups (15%) and meals (25%) per day to meet their nutrient requirements. However, there has been little qualitative or quantitative research conducted over the past decade to explore the multilevel determinants of infant and young child (IYC) diets and growth outcomes in Guinea. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) conceptual framework theorizes the immediate (diet, care), underlying (food, practices, services), and enabling determinants (resources, norms, governance) determinants of maternal, infant, and young and child nutrition (MIYCN). However, the UNICEF framework does not provide a robust model for exploring the factors shaping IYC diets, an immediate determinant of nutritional status. However, the Ecological Model of Food and Nutrition (EMFN) has been used for over 50 years to explore the various factors influencing diets across contexts. In addition to immediate determinants such as diet, caregiver feeding style is an underlying determinant of IYC diets and nutritional status. However, there has been little work conducted across low-and-middle income-countries including Guinea to understand the relationship between caregiver feeding styles and IYC dietary quality. Finally, enabling determinants including programs and policies are upstream factors that shape IYC diets and nutritional status. UNICEF recommends intervening through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), social protection, food, and health systems to improve IYC diets and growth outcomes. However, to our knowledge, no study has systematically explored what evidence-based program modalities across systems are being supported by policies or programs in Guinea. To better understand key immediate, underlying, and enabling determinants of IYC nutritional status, this study sought to explore the infant feeding practices and inform strategies to improve MIYCN in Guinea. To fill this research gap, our first study sought to understand what factors are associated with infant dietary diversity score (DDS) in Forécariah, Guinea. To assess and define factors that shape infant DDS, a dietary assessment and survey were administered to caregivers of indexed infants (6 -- 9 months). Then, to understand the factors shaping infant diets, 3-hour observations were conducted among indexed infants (n = 81) and interviews were conducted with caregivers (n = 34) and community leaders (n = 13). A stepwise linear regression was used to understand what factors were significantly associated with infant DDS. Textual data were then analyzed deductively using the EMFN to understand how different factors shape the feeding practices of caregivers who fed infants a more diverse diet from those who did not. Findings from our study revealed that food insecurity, maternal time, and feeding advice received through various channels (i.e., radio, interpersonal) shape caregiver feeding behaviors and infant diet. Factors found to be positively associated with infant dietary diversity scores include having access to water in the household, feeding infants the same foods as primary caregivers weekly, owning land for homestead food production, and infant age. Conversely, adhering to food taboos was negatively associated with infant dietary diversity score. Imported foods were symbolized as 'clean' and locally sourced foods were symbolized as 'unclean' caregivers who fed less diverse diets. Our second study sought to understand what caregiver feeding styles are being employed by indexed caregivers and how they relate to infant DDS in Forécariah, Guinea. To define caregiver feeding styles we carried out 3-hr observations of indexed infants (n = 81), Then, to understand how and why caregivers were employing these feeding styles we carried out interviews among a subset of indexed caregivers (n = 34). Quantitative data from direct observations were subjected to k-medoid cluster analysis and textual data were analyzed using content analysis. Findings from our study revealed that three distinct feeding styles were being employed in Forécariah, Guinea including responsive, forceful, and uninvolved. Most caregivers in our sample carried out responsive feeding behaviors but fed their infants the least diverse diets. Drivers of responsive, forceful, and uninvolved feeding styles included maternal time, caregiver trust in the infant's hunger and satiety cues, and cues associated with an infant being developmentally ready to self-feed, respectively. Our third study sought to understand how current policies and programs can be leveraged to improve MIYCN in Guinea. To understand the current policy and program environment, we conducted a narrative literature review of operating programs (i.e., 2019-2022) and policies across systems. Then, to understand what factors shape program implementation, we conducted semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (n = 20) across systems. Textual data were analyzed using a content analysis approach guided by the UNICEF systems framework and a nutrition implementation science framework. Findings revealed that most evidence-based program modalities across systems were being cited in policy (25/32) and program documents (28/32). Salient factors identified to be shaping programs during interviews included poor policy development, suboptimal funding, variable stakeholder technical knowledge, low provider-to-beneficiary ratios, substandard program planning, scale-up, and resources at the community level. However, the most salient factor discussed across domains was programming planning and scale-up which was namely due to duplication of activities, poor supply chains, funding-related constraints, and suboptimal integration of activities across systems and within systems. Findings from our study suggest that multilevel determinants shape infant diets in Forécariah but also MIYCN in Guinea at large. Food taboos identified in this study and intervention approaches that have been successful in shifting social norms in other contexts could be used to dismantle food taboos and improve infant DDS in Forécariah, Guinea. Findings from this research also indicate that policymakers in Guinea may also consider introducing guidelines against advertising of IYC foods in line with WHO guidance to improve infant DDS. Findings from our second study could be used to generate tailored messaging to encourage caregivers to feed responsively during mealtimes. Finally, findings from our third study could be used as a guide for stakeholders across systems in Guinea to leverage the integration of currently operating programs to improve MIYCN using a multisectoral approach.