Timing and pattern of growth faltering in children up-to 18 months of age and the associated feeding practices in an urban setting of Sri Lanka

Table 6 Association between breastfeeding practices after 6 months and current weight-for-length status (< -1SD) in the total population and in those with weight faltering before 4 months

BF practices	Total population (n = 254)
BF practices	Total (n = 254)	Weight-for-length < -1SD^a	Weight-for-length ≥ -1SD	OR (95% CI) significance^b
BF practices after 6 months during daytime
Continued on-demand BF	97 (38.2%)	53 (54.6%)	44 (45.4%)	1.0
Not given on-demand BF	157 (61.8%)	68 (43.3%)	89 (56.7%)	1.54 (0.84- 2.82) p = 0.161
BF practices after 6 months during night
Breastfed throughout the night	140 (55.1%)	76 (54.3%)	64 (45.7%)	1.0
Not breastfed throughout the night	114 (44.9%)	45 (39.5%)	69 (60.5%)	1.89 (1.04- 3.45) p = 0.037
	Weight faltered before 4 months (n = 128)
BF practices after 6 months during night
Continued on-demand BF	49 (38.2%)	33 (67.3%)	16 (32.7%)	1.0
Not given on-demand BF	79 (61.8%)	44 (55.7%)	35 (44.3%)	1.94 (0.77- 4.88) p = 0.157
BF practices after 6 months during night
Breastfed throughout the night	67 (52.3%)	48 (71.6%)	19 (28.4%)	1.0
Not breastfed throughout the night	61 (47.7%)	29 (47.5%)	32 (52.5%)	2.55 (1.05- 6.2) p = 0.039

^a < -1SD cut-off was used here in order to achieve the most ideal anthropometry match
^b using binary logistic regression with the presence of weight-for-length < -1SD as the dependant variable and adjusted for birth weight, maturity at birth, maternal age, maternal education, employment status and family income

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