PROMOTING DIETARY INTAKE BEHAVIOUR TO ENHANCE CHILDREN'S IRON LEVELS AND IMPROVE GROWTH IN ETHIOPIA: LOW UNIT COMMUNITY TRIAL.

Inadequate resources, ongoing conflicts, and the widespread occurrence of infectious diseases in developing world contribute significantly to the ongoing health challenge of iron deficiency among children. Iron deficiency anaemia, a concerning ailment, currently affects young children. Therefore, it is imperative to devise a suitable strategy to prevent this condition from further affecting health. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of dietary intake behaviour on children's haemoglobin levels and their growth subsequent to the implementation of dietary intake behaviour interventions, utilizing the diffusion of innovations and the infant and young child feeding models. The following course of specific actions was pursued: 1. Assess the prevalence of iron deficiency among children aged 6 to 59 months at the baseline of the study 2. Assess the prevalence of stunting growth among children aged 6 to 59 months at the baseline of the study 3. Introduce DIBC interventions within the designated intervention group. 4. Evaluate the change in iron status among intervention and control groups of children aged 6 to 59 months at the conclusion of the study. 5. Ascertain the discrepancy in average haemoglobin levels between groups of children aged 6 to 59 months from the end-line to the baseline difference. 6. Analyse the impact of haemoglobin concentrations on the linear growth of children across the groups. Methods: This study employed a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted using a one-to-one ratio in 16 lower community units in Central Ethiopia. A total of 1012 mothers and their children participated at the baseline and endpoints of the study. Data on Hgb, anthropomorphism, and other variables were obtained during both the initial assessment and the conclusion. To evaluate any differences in the average values, we employed a t-test and utilized the generalized estimating equation (GEE) to identify significant factors.