Determinants of meeting the minimum acceptable diet among children aged 6 to 23 months in Bangladesh: Evidence from a national representative cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Minimum acceptable diet (MAD) is a core indicator of infant and child feeding practices (IYCF). Meeting the MAD is essential to enhance the nutritional status of children aged 6–23 months. OBJECTIVE: To identify the determinants of meeting the MAD among children aged 6–23 months in Bangladesh. METHODS: The study was based on a secondary dataset of the 2017–2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS 2017–18). Complete (weighted) data from 2,426 children aged 6–23 months were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall percentage of meeting the MAD was 34.70%, whereas, in terms of urban and rural, it was 39.56% and 32.96%, respectively. Age of the children 9–11 months [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.54; 95% CI: 2.33–5.4], 12–17 months [AOR = 6.72; 95% CI: 4.63–9.77], and 18–23 months [AOR = 7.12; 95% CI: 1.72–5.98], the maternal primary [AOR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.07–2.86], secondary [AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.36–3.89], and higher education [AOR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.72–5.98], currently working mothers [AOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.13–1.79], mothers' access to mass media [AOR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1–1.66], and at least four antenatal care (ANC) from medically skilled providers [AOR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.39,2.18] were independent determinants of meeting the MAD. CONCLUSIONS: Many children are still far behind in meeting the MAD. Nutritional interventions like improved nutrition recipes, nutrition education and homemade food supplementation, nutritional counseling by home visits, community mobilization, health forums, antenatal and postnatal sessions, and media campaigns on IYCF are needed to meet MAD practice.