Nutrition Knowledge and Feeding Practices of Caregivers of Children Aged 6 to 23 Months in Taraba State

Caregiver nutrition knowledge and feeding practices during the complementary feeding period are critical determinants of child growth and development. This study evaluates the nutrition knowledge and feeding practices of primary caregivers of children aged 6 to 23 months in Jalingo and Ardo-Kola local government areas of Taraba State, North East Nigeria. Taraba State records persistent childhood undernutrition, yet the contribution of caregiver behaviour and knowledge to this burden has been insufficiently studied. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 310 caregivers recruited through multi-stage sampling. A structured questionnaire assessed knowledge of recommended complementary feeding initiation age, feeding frequency, food group diversity, and hygiene practices. Observed feeding practices were evaluated using the WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding indicators including minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, and minimum acceptable diet. Anthropometric measurements of the index children were taken to determine nutritional status. Findings are expected to show that knowledge levels are moderate but practical feeding behaviours are suboptimal, with meal frequency and dietary diversity below WHO thresholds for most children. Formal education, household food security, and exposure to community nutrition programmes were hypothesised as positive predictors of better feeding practices. These findings will guide the design of caregiver-focused nutrition interventions in Taraba State. Keywords: nutrition knowledge, feeding practices, complementary feeding, Taraba State, child nutrition.