Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a problem in today?s world. Research suggests that feeding practices play a critical role in the development of children?s taste preferences, eating habits, nutrition, and weight status. This study aims to know the extent of feeding practices of caregivers of severely underweight children residing in Baguio and aimed to know if there is significant difference on the feeding practices of caregivers along with gender, educational attainment and number of children in the family. This is a quantitative study wherein total enumeration was used. Forty one (41) caregivers of the identified severely underweight children were asked to answer a 25- item questionnaire. Data gathering was done from the month of October to November 2011. Collected data was then organized, tabulated and weighed mean, F-test and T-test was utilized in the study. The results of the study revealed that the feeding practices was practiced very satisfactorily (3.002).There is no significant difference in the extent of feeding practices of caregivers according to gender (CV=0.06632 < TV=2.30600), number of children (CV=0.5475 < TV=3.885) and educational attainment (CV=0.125 < TV=2.807). The study concludes that caregivers of the severely underweight children of Baguio City used these feeding practices to help improve the weight of their children. Moreover, the study concludes that factors such as gender, education attainment and number of children are not intervening factors in the feeding practices of caregiver of severely underweight children. Therefore, Nutrition counseling should be conducted at regular intervals and to strengthen the responsible parenting movement seminars to spur awareness on the different feeding style in handling children who are severely underweights.

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