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Nutrition Social Behaviour Change Communication - 87% of RCTs Reported a Significant Positive Effect on Early Initiation of Breastfeeding

Wed, 04/05/2023 - 10:09
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Strategy researched

Nutrition social behaviour change communication (NSBCC) interventions (interpersonal counselling, use of media (IEC materials, mass media, phone messaging), community mobilisation)

Impact achieved

Overall, almost two-thirds of the studies reported a significant positive effect on early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF). Of the 38 cluster RCTs studies reporting on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), 33 (87%) found a statistically significant positive impact. All studies across all study designs: 6 out of 13 (46%) RCTs measured or reported on EBF and of these, 5 (83%) found a significant positive effect. Twenty-two out of the 51 (43%) cluster randomised trials measured and reported on EBF and of these, 20 (91%) reported a statistically significant positive impact.

Countries of study

38 studies from Asia, 35 from Africa, 6 from South America, and 1 from Europe

Research methodology

Systematic review with 80 studies (51 cluster RCTs and 13 RCTs)

Journal

Maternal and Child Nutrition; 2021

Journal paper title and link

The effectiveness of interventions on nutrition social behaviour change communication in improving child nutritional status within the first 1000 days: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Excerpt from Abstract

"The overall intervention's effect was significant for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) (odds ratio = 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-2.11, p < 0.001), HAZ [height for age z-scores] (standardized mean differences [SMD] = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.17-0.21; p < 0.001), WHZ [weight for height z-scores] (SMD = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.004-0.04; p < 0.001), and WAZ [weight for age z-scores] (SMD = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.02–0.06; p < 0.001). Evidence shows the effectiveness of NSBCC in improving EBF and child anthropometric outcomes."

 

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