Minimum acceptable diet and its associated factors among 6–23 months old children enrolled in Outpatient therapeutic program in the Tulla District, Sidama region, Ethiopia : A community- based cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: Improving MAD is essential for ensuring optimal growth and development of children, as well as preventing malnutrition and its consequences. Previous studies in Ethiopia have focused on the magnitude and determinants of a minimum adequate diet. However, much emphasis was not given to minimum acceptable diet and its associated factorsamong 6–23 months old children enrolled in Outpatient therapeutic program, particularly, in the study area. This study determines minimum acceptable diet and its associated factorsamong 6–23 months old children enrolled in Outpatient therapeutic program. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 346 randomly selected mothers with children aged 6–23 months who were admitted to the OTP. The data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data entry and cleaning were exported to SPSS version 26 for further analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the determinants of an adequate diet. Results: The overall prevalence of minium Acceptable diet among children aged 6–23 months was 14.5% (95% CI: 12.02%-19%). The odds of adequate diet were 1.9 times higher among children aged 18–23 months compared to children aged 6-11 months (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI ((1.2 3.9). The odds of adequate diet 2.9 times higher in children whose caregiver had greater than 70 percent of knowledge on recommended feeding (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI (1.2, 6.35). The odds of adequate diet to the children were 81 percent less likely in a caregiver who did not attend formal education compared to their counter part (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.24, 4.19). Conclusion: The practice of minimum acceptable diet is inadequate. Nutrition education should be emphasized to improve the mothers’ nutrition knowledge regarding infant and young child feeding recommendations, to support mothers in overcoming barriers to feeding their children with adequate diets, and to foster complementary feeding practices for malinourished children.