Local food for nutrition and health of under-five children in rural Mpwapwa Tanzania: determinants of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among the Primary Caregivers

This study is designed to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary caregivers on local food for nutrition and health of children under-five years of age in Mpwapwa district. Specifically, it focuses on the level of knowledge for primary caregivers on nutrition and health of under-five children, their attitudes towards local food together with understanding their nutritional practices. Researcher employed the KAP model to explain the relationship among variables; the model fits to the current study as it has all components to be examined. A cross-sectional descriptive study was used. The researcher employed mixed approach, a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey, in-depth interview and focus group discussion methods. The sample size for quantitative study was 151 respondents and data were collected from the primary caregivers at Iwondo ward, Mpwapwa District in Dodoma region. The study findings revealed that most respondents lack knowledge on the appropriate way of feeding their children, 13.2% Breast Feed (BF) their children 2 times within 24 hours, 72.2% breast feed their children 3 times per 24 hours, while very few 0.7% breast feed their children more than 3 times per day. Furthermore, the findings revealed that knowledge on complementary feeding is lacking as 62.9% begins to take other foods apart at the age of 3 months where a child start eating like an adult. The findings revealed further that although 68.9% are aware of Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF), they do not practice it and 18.5% know nothing about EBF. It was also revealed that children are denied their right to eat nutritious food as some cultural practices prohibit them from consuming colostrums, eggs, rice and from being prepared special diet on the belief that they will become selfish and glutton, it is therefore, recommended that community health workers, government and other health professionals to engage on the culture of training and educating primary caregivers on the proper use of local foods for nutrition and health of the children under five years of age as it has been observed that local foods are nutritious but indigenous people lack knowledge on how to use them correctly for nutrition and health of their children.