Effectiveness of Nutrition Extension Messages on Child Feeding Practices among Rural Households in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Undernutrition among children remains a critical challenge in rural South-South Nigeria, partly due to inconsistent adoption of recommended feeding practices despite the presence of nutrition extension services. This study assessed the effectiveness of nutrition extension messages on child feeding practices among rural households. Specifically, it examined household exposure to nutrition messages, the extent of implementation of recommended feeding practices, and the relationship between exposure and feeding behaviours. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 360 households across 12 rural communities in Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Rivers states. Structured questionnaires administered via the Open Data Kit captured data on exposure to nutrition messages, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics revealed that most households had moderate exposure to nutrition extension messages (50%), while low and high exposures were 30% and 20%, respectively. Only 40% initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth, 45% practiced exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and 50% continued breastfeeding up to 12–24 months. For complementary feeding, 55% met minimum meal frequency, 40% achieved dietary diversity, and 35% met minimum acceptable diet standards. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses indicated a strong positive association between exposure to nutrition messages and child feeding practices (r = 0.62, p < 0.01; β =0.62, p < 0.001), with exposure explaining 38% of the variance in feeding behaviours. The study concludes that consistent exposure to nutrition extension messages significantly improves child feeding practices in rural households and recommends that extension services enhance message frequency, provide practical
training for caregivers, and strengthen monitoring to reach low-exposure households.