Abstract:
The study which was a community based intervention study with a control group, comprised
three stages, the first of which was a baseline cross sectional community survey. The study
was carried out in two MOH areas in the Cplpmbo district in the Western Province of Sri
Lanka. Padukka and Piliyandala MOH areas were selected for the study as they were the
closest matching pair in terms of socio-demographic and the characteristics yet, suitably
spaced apart so that cross contamination would be minimal MOH area Padukka was
selected as the intervention area randomly and MOH area. Piliyandala as the control area.
All primary health care providers of the two areas who are involved in maternal and child
health were also included in the study. For each of the intervention and control groups, 510
children aged 12-23 months were randomly selected from the birth and immunization
registersw maintained by public health midwives ( PHMs) of the respective MOH areas.
The birth and immunization registers were updated for the purpose of the study. The number
of children to be selected from each PHM area was decided according to probability
proportional to size of the population of children who would be 12-23 months of age at the
time of baseline survey and 472 and 471 for the post intervention survey respectively. In the
first stage of the study information was gathered on socio economic and demographic
characteristics and child feeding practices of caregivers. Eating behaviour of children were
measured . Z scores were later calculated for the three nutritional indices of weight for age
height for the age and weight for height. The main instrument used was an interviewer
administered, pre coded, structured questionnaire , information on feeding practices was
elicited by way of extensive interviews.
