Factors associated with infant and young child feeding practices in children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia: A nationwide study

Introduction: Children-related nutrition raises significant attention due to the low implementation of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. However, the factors affecting the low implementation of IYCF remains limited globally. This study aimed to identify factors influencing IYCF in children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 4943 responses were included. We employed binary logistic regression to determine the factors affecting IYCF practices in children aged 6–23 months. The results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Several factors significantly influenced IYCF practices among children aged 6–23 months, including the age of the child (OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.27–0.65), middle wealth index (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.12–3.08), regional disparities (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.23–0.77), place of residence (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.17–2.68), and a history of childhood diseases like fever (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.05–2.58). Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of various factors related to IYCF practices among children aged 6–23 months. These factors include maternal aspects such as wealth index, child-related factors like age, a history of childhood illnesses such as fever, and environmental factors such as regional disparities and place of residence. Practice implications: Paediatric nurses can contribute to enhancing maternal knowledge by providing education on the importance of infant and child feeding practices, beginning early in the child's life.