Anemia is a worldwide public health issue that is linked to an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality in people of all ages, but young children are more vulnerable due to their increasing demand and growing size. The main goal of this study is to assess the association between anemia and feeding practices of young children. This was a cross-sectional study which is conducted at Khyber teaching hospital, Peshawar. The association was tested by using the Chi-square test. A significant association was described as a P-Value of < 0.05.It was found that 173(57.7%) of the infants and young children were anemic. Anemia was found in 65.3% of infants exclusively breastfed for >6 months, followed by 62.5% with EBF for 6 months, and 47.8% for < 6 months. Times of Initiation of breastfeeding, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and late initiation of complementary feeding were associated with anemia significantly. Results suggest there is a relationship between the duration of EBF and late initiation of CF with anemia. However, the findings of this study are insufficient to justify any modifications to the existing feeding practice guidelines. Further longitudinal studies in different populations, with inflammation controlled, will help put these findings in perspective.
Keywords: Anemia, Breastfeeding, Complementary feeding
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