DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2024.v10i05.038

Pages: 461-465

Introduction: According to the WHO, dietary diversification is the introduction of any other food other than breast milk, with the exception of vitamin and mineral supplements, drinking water and rehydration solution. The objective of the study was to determine the quality of dietary diversification in severely malnourished children. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study which took place at the Csref of commune V of the Bamako district. Its target was children aged 6 to 24 months hospitalized at intensive nutritional education and recovery unit (URENI). The survey was carried out from May 2 to August 1, 2018. The sampling was exhaustive, including all children meeting the inclusion criteria. Results: 126 children aged 6 to 59 months hospitalized from May 2 to August 1, 2018 at the URENI of the reference health center in commune V of the Bamako district. One hundred and ten children aged 06 to 24 months were included, i.e. a frequency of 87.30%. The male gender was predominant with 53%. The age group of 12 to 24 months was the most represented with 61%. Breastfeeding was the most frequent mode of feeding with 72.72%. Children aged 12 to 24 months were fed meals prepared at home. Soup, fruit(s) and vegetable(s) and porridge were the foods most used for dietary diversification (12.73%). Boys were more diverse at 6 months (33.64%) than girls (27.27%). Conclusion: Diversification mistakes are common. The forms of poor dietary diversification observed were early dietary diversification and late dietary diversification.