Appropriate Complementary Feeding Practice and Its Associated Factors among Mothers Who Have Children Aged between 6 and 24 Months in Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Appropriate complementary feeding practices prevent malnutrition among children. The proportion and determinant factors of appropriate complementary feeding practices identified by different studies were inconsistent in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the pooled proportion and determinants of appropriate complementary feeding practices among mothers. METHODS: Databases (PubMed, HINARI, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) and university repositories were used to search for important articles. A critical appraisal of the studies was conducted. Data analysis was conducted using STATA version 11. Cochran (Q test) and I(2) test were used to test the heterogeneity of the studies. Publication bias was checked using the funnel plot for asymmetry and Egger's regression test. RESULTS: Seventeen primary studies with a total sample size of 9166 mothers were involved in this study. The pooled proportion of appropriate complementary feeding practices among mothers who had infants and young children aged between 6 and 24 months was 21.77 (with a 95% CI: 14.07–29.48). Mothers' educational status of secondary school and above (OR = 3.36 with a 95% CI: 3.03–3.69), having repeated antenatal care visits (OR = 4.77 with a 95% CI: 3.49–6.05), child's age between 12 and 24 months (OR = 3.7 with a 95% CI: 2.75–4.65), having repeated postnatal care visits (OR = 3.17 with a 95% CI: 1.96–4.38), health education (OR = 4.88 with a 95% CI: 3.86–5.9), knowledge of mothers (OR = 4.85 with a 95% CI: 3.77–5.93), maternal age between 18 and 35 years (AOR = 2.67 with a 95% CI: 1.64–3.72), institutional delivery (OR = 2.23 with a 95% CI: 1.79–2.68), and higher household wealth (OR = 2.65 with a 95% CI: 1.46–3.84) were found to be statistically significant associated factors of appropriate complementary feeding practices among mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The pooled proportion of appropriate complementary feeding practices was low in Ethiopia. Knowledge of mothers and maternal health service uptake such as antenatal care, postnatal care, and institutional delivery increase appropriate complementary feeding practices. More focus is required for mothers who have children aged less than 12 months, mothers aged above 35 years and less than 18 years, lower mothers' educational status, and lower household wealth. Therefore, integrated interventions are still required to improve appropriate complementary feeding practices.