Social Dynamics and Infant Feeding Practices in Northern Ghana

bibliographic database
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Periodical article

Title:	Social Dynamics and Infant Feeding Practices in Northern Ghana
Author:	Awumbila, Mariama
Year:	2003
Periodical:	Research Review (ISSN 0855-4412)
Volume:	19
Issue:	2
Pages:	85-98
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Ghana West Africa
Subjects:	nutrition breastfeeding Cultural Roles Women and Their Children Health, Nutrition, and Medicine Sex Roles Family Life Medicine, Nutrition, Public Health children Social influence Baby foods Domestic relations
Abstract:	Infant feeding practices have been identified as one of the major determinants of children's nutritional status and account to a large extent for the high rates of malnutrition among children in Ghana. Based on research undertaken in 1998-1999 in a rural and an urban area in Ghana's Bawku East District, this paper examines infant feeding practices of women with children between 0 and 6 months of age and analyses the role of sociocultural factors, household and gender dynamics as determinants of infant feeding practices and child nutrition. It argues that the existence of beliefs and value systems especially with regard to the cultural administration of water is central to conflicts with exclusive breastfeeding recommendations of WHO and UNICEF. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract, edited]